Unfair Warning
by Durandall
Summary: Untimely advice may cause more harm than help....  A tale of power and irresponsibility.
1. Phase 1

Unfair Warning: Phase One

A metafiction by Brian Randall

Disclaimer: Original source is Ranma 1/2, which is the property and creation of Rumiko Takahashi. Her paints, my easel, and the brush is borrowed without permission (hence this disclaimer) from Kenko and Chris Jones, as this metafic is inspired by 'Fair Warning' and 'The Tomboy Solution'.

Note: Fans of the above fics will probably not enjoy the effects of this one. Consider yourselves warned. Divergence. You'll know it when you see it.  
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-0-

She stared at the paper in her hands suspiciously. It was true, she had to admit, that she won the little contests the shopkeepers in the Furinkan district held. That was how she'd gotten to the hot springs race, miserable experience that it ultimately was.

Now the raffle prize was a 'free consultation' from a 'Dr. Chrono'. The name was unfamiliar, and spelled out in English characters. A handy katakana pronunciation guide was written on the margin of the paper, along with a time and directions to appear for her appointment. To her, it seemed somewhat suspicious, especially since it was a prize drawn at random from a box full of papers, yet ... it had her name on it.

Still, nothing for it, she thought. Oh, it could be some kidnapping ploy, or a trick from a rival to try...

Well, she couldn't imagine what, really. Ranma was on a training trip with his father. And her father. So with him gone, she reasoned that her rivals would find other things to do. Until he came back, at least.

So without anything better to do, she found herself standing before the shabby storefront of 'Dr. Chrono's Consultorium'. The shingle below his nameplate read, 'dreams and destinies divined, hopes half off'. Pursing her lips doubtfully, she reached out a hand and twisted the doorknob, revealing an interior every bit as dim and dust-covered as she had expected.

The room was furnished, barely. There was a large desk opposite the door, a heavy piece of wood and stone that she expected required the demolition and reconstruction of at least one wall. The chair behind the desk was a massive and plush leather affair, though it was empty at the moment. A laptop computer sat haphazardly on one corner of the table, near an empty white ceramic mug, and a trashcan sat on the floor.

Above the chair, on the wall, hung a single certificate. She started to step closer to examine it and find out what this doctor was a doctor of, when she heard a cough behind her. Spinning, she watched a tall and pale man with long black hair in a tightly braided queue step through the door. His lips twitched into a haughty smile as he reached into a pocket and produced a notebook.

"Tendo Akane," he intoned, one green eye and one blue eye glittering. "So will it be read in the books of days that on this, the fourteenth of April, you did come into my demesne with invitation to see what lies beyond." He snapped the book shut and pocketed it.

She blinked, as the man glided smoothly around her, hanging his long black coat on a hook she hadn't seen before on the wall near the door. Beneath, his suit was immaculate black, save a white shirt worn beneath his business jacket. He adjusted a black silk tie and took a seat at the desk, gesturing behind her. "Please," he said. "Make yourself comfortable.

Turning again, she spotted a chair she'd somehow missed on her previous inspections of the room. "No thank you," she said politely, turning back. 'Dr. Chrono' was a rather creepy person, she'd decided, and while she would listen -- everyone deserved a chance -- she would be wary around him. "I'm fine, actually." She paused, as the doctor looked at his laptop and tapped a few keys in sequence. "Um. If I can ask, what are you a doctor of?"

"Time," he said absently, before his eyes shifted from the screen to lock on her. "In this place. But it is not me we are here to discuss, Tendo Akane. I bear you a warning."

She blinked. Was the man insane, perhaps? "What about?"

He shook his head and produced a pencil from a desk drawer, then extended a hand expectantly. "Your ticket," he said.

Frowning, Akane handed the paper over. He scanned it expectantly, then offered a terse nod, making a mark next to her name. "Some force will enter your life soon," he said in clipped tones, tossing the paper into the rubbish bin. "It will grant you the power of your dreams. It is potential, and much will be wasted."

"Oh?" she asked skeptically.

"Indeed. For proof, I offer you that you will see also a bookmark. A chair which spins in place. Then a suit of power which you may take," he said by way of explanation. "Yet. I will warn you that you will use this power poorly."

She blinked, adopting a wary expression and nodding. "Of course," she said mildly. "And then?"

"That is up to you, as always," he said with a shrug. "Regardless. Your initial impulse, I will tell you, is the incorrect one. It is not Ranma you should use your power against. If you wish to achieve your desired result, a direct attack will not aid you. Think, Tendo Akane, and when you receive your boon-"

He cut off as a shrill ringing began to sound, quickly replaced with loudly blasting music. Akane thought she recognized some of the English lyrics. "Bow down before the one you serve," the doctor's cell-phone belted out as he searched for the 'answer' button. "You're going to get what you deserve!"

"This is Dr. Chrono," he said tersely, once the ringing had cut off. "Ah. Yes. Good to hear from you again, Mara-sama. I'm with a client at the moment; might I call you back in a few minutes?"

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence while Akane stared at the desk and waited for the call to end. The doctor drummed his fingertips on the desktop.

"I'll keep that in mind," the man said dryly, ending the pause. "We'll speak later." With that, he hung up.

"My apologies," he said, turning his gaze to Akane again. "Where were we?"

"Supposedly I'm getting a boon?" she said doubtfully.

He nodded, producing a pair of wire-frame glasses and donning them to peer at his laptop again. "Yes," he said after a moment of scrutiny, pocketing the spectacles. "And when you receive it, you will misuse it."

"I think I should probably leave now," she decided, turning around. "Um, thank you for the free ... consultation."

"You're welcome," the man said cheerfully. "Oh, and a bit of personal advice, since you seem uninterested in what the system has to offer?"

She paused at the doorway and looked over her shoulder skeptically. "Yes?"

"Enjoy your remaining time with your fiance. Events will conspire to tear him away from you, I assure you that." He chuckled then, and she narrowed her eyes in reply. Shaking her head, she marched out of his office into the bright street, and headed back home.

-1-

Alone in her room, and with time to consider, Akane looked over the dougi. It was made of some soft, sturdy material that looked like silk, but seemed far stronger. It fit her perfectly, too, though she thought it made her look like some anime character.

Not that she could complain! Ranma had been thoroughly smashed in their sparring match, but when he'd demanded a second round, she refused and ran to her room to think.

Dr. Chrono had told her this would happen, and he'd been right. There had been a fairly nice bookmark, Kasumi seemed to delight in the swiveling chair, and of course ... she'd gotten the battle dougi. But if that were true, might his advice that something was coming to tear Ranma and her apart be true also? Not, of course, that she liked the jerk, or anything...

But if she did ... what was it the man had said? She would misuse her boon. Well, if that were true, then she shouldn't use the dougi to fight Ranma, as much as he might want to fight her. But then, what would she do with it? It seemed a shame to finally have the power to put Ranma's raging ego in check, and then not use it.

Well, it was a boon, which must mean it was meant to be used. But if it wasn't for fighting Ranma, then what was it for?

-2-

A humiliating defeat at the hands of Akane didn't sit well with Ranma. Especially since he was positive it was a fluke. Likewise, the three times he'd goaded her into fighting him again were also flukes. But then she adamantly refused to go another round, and the dougi didn't fit him. Even in cursed form.

Out of ideas and not particularly feeling up to idling at the Tendo home or training where Akane could see it, he wandered aimlessly. His feet took a cue from his stomach, and when he looked up he was standing outside of the Neko-Hanten. As he was pondering going inside to scrounge up a bowl of ramen, Shampoo returned from a delivery, just passing over his head before her bike landed and she braked hard, skidding sideways.

After she parked the bike, she jumped off and launched herself at Ranma. He didn't quite have enough time to move out of the way before she knocked him down, tangling herself in an embrace with him before they crashed to the street. "Hello!" she cheered, beaming a bright smile down at him once they'd tumbled to a halt. "Airen come to date with Shampoo?"

"Gah," he managed, trying to ignore the soft and comfortable warmth of her weight across her body. "Um, n...no, I didn't come here to date with ya!"

"Oh," she said, pouting. Then her smile widened. "You is come for something else then? Shampoo made too, too delicious ramen for Airen!"

"Y...yeah, that'd be good," he allowed, as she released him and bounced to her feet, but only after she nuzzled him affectionately, coming just short of actually trying to claim another kiss. That was good -- after the Reversal Jewel incident, and again after the damnable ghost cat had returned, Shampoo had become increasingly ... affectionate. That tended to cause problems with Akane.

The Chinese girl dragged him inside and seated him at a table before her form swayed through the tables and into the kitchen. He could barely hear the sound of her and Cologne's voices, though he couldn't make out what they were saying. His straining ears picked out the sound of a blade through the air, and then he turned his attention to Mousse and the delayed battle cry of, "Saotome, you enemy of women! Stay away from my Shampoo!"

After that, there was a brief if annoying melee against Mousse before Cologne kicked the both of them out into the street for knocking over a table full of customers. That opportunity for lunch lost, Ranma wandered again, giving his bruises a bit of time to recover from the fight.

The fight...

He'd fought against Shampoo a bit in China. The first time was a simple win; Shampoo was expecting someone weak and arrogant. After that, a few unpleasant encounters involving the Chinese girl and bladed weapons across the country until Japan, and his second critical battle against her -- the one where she decided she would marry him.

Still, the effort she put into all those fights paled to the resistance she put up while wearing the Reversal Jewel, and he'd beaten her then. Didn't even have to hurt her to do it.

He shook his head and looked around. This time his feet had carried him to Ukyou's little restaurant, which doing a fair bit of business. He glanced inside and she seemed to notice, looking up from the grill where she was working on her okonomiyaki and meeting his eyes with a sunny smile.

"Sorry," she called to an approaching customer, "that seat's taken. Ranchan! Hurry up!"

Ranma shrugged and took the seat, glancing at the businessman he'd stolen the place of. The man was tall and looked foreign. He was wearing wire-rim frames and a black trench coat. His face was pale, and his hair was jet black. A feeling of uncanny familiarity rose within Ranma, and he wondered where he knew the stranger from.

"I shall find another," the man murmured, glancing at a gleaming gold wristwatch. "Ah. My domain recedes. I can arrange this within the time remaining." With that he turned around on his heel and marched away.

"What a weirdo," Ranma opined, watching the man leave.

"Yeah," Ukyou agreed, frowning at the man's figure as he walked down the street. "Anyway, let me make you a deluxe and fight off the crowd, Ranchan."

He nodded. It took the girl very little time to serve everyone in her restaurant and then turn her attention to him. Pulling up a small stool opposite him at the grill, she flashed another smile and asked, "You look kind of scruffy around the edges. Get in a fight today?"

"Just against Mousse," he said dismissively. And Akane and Cologne, both of whom had beaten him handily. "Thanks for the 'yaki."

"Any time, Ranchan," she said. "You've been spending so much time elsewhere lately, I was startin' to think you'd forgotten about me."

"Ah, that'd never happen," he replied, shaking his head. "You're my best friend, Ucchan. How could I forget about you?"

Her smile faded slightly and she nodded. "Right. Friend," she muttered, before brightening. "Hey, Ranchan, what do you think about going out on a training trip? Work's been keeping me so busy, I'm worried my fighting skills are fading."

He considered briefly. "Well, I just got back from a training trip yesterday," he replied, shaking his head. "Maybe in a month or two."

"Promise?"

"Eh, well..." Why not? It wouldn't have to be just the two of them, after all. Surely Akane couldn't complain about that too much. "Sure. I promise. Next month sometime we can go out on a training trip." If he took one to deal with Akane, it would likely have to be too intense for Ukyou to keep up with anyway. She looked up and frowned slightly, as nearly half of her customers left, and another wave arrived.

He was moodily considering what to do next when she served him another okonomiyaki and a glass of tea, then winked and moved to attend her other customers. Ukyou's skill at making okonomiyaki was probably unparalleled by anyone outside of her family. It was also linked to her martial art, and he wondered briefly how she could lack for training when she was so busy with her restaurant.

Once she was looking away, he slipped outside and vaulted to the roof of her shop, settling down to think things over. Maybe the issue with fighting Akane was just that he wasn't -- really -- able to commit everything to fighting girls. Sure, Kodachi had gotten him angry enough to fight once, but... He filed that thought away for later.

When Ukyou'd first arrived, he'd fought her, too. She was the one he'd attacked most fiercely, but it had been shortly after he'd finished fighting Ryouga and his Bakusai Tenketsu. Likely, he thought, she could have beaten him back then if he hadn't already gotten that Kashuu Tenshin Amaguriken training. Ukyou was versatile, and while she used a weapon, she wasn't completely reliant on it like Kuno.

Still, that didn't bring him closer to winning a fight against Akane, and given the youngest Tendo's refusal to fight him anymore, he'd need to make sure he would win before he challenged her again. He knew he could fight harder if he stopped holding back, but it was hard to wrap his mind around the concept of using his all against Akane. Her skill had gone up so quickly that he was trying to spar against where she was, not where she'd gotten to.

Then again, he wasn't able to continue the fight against Ukyou once he found out that his closest childhood friend was a girl. Even beyond the honor issues and the fact that he owed her ... she was a girl, and he just couldn't bring himself to fight her again. He felt bad enough about the one power-kick he'd landed on her before she needed to retreat with her smokescreen. Could he hit Akane that hard?

He shook his head, doubting it. Damn, he thought to himself. How was he supposed to keep Akane out of trouble if she could beat him?

His contemplation was interrupted by a sultry chuckle, and Ranma felt his hackles rise, that previously dismissed thought returning with a vengeance. "Er," he managed, rising to his feet easily and turning to look at Kodachi. "Hiya."

"Why, Ranma-sama," she said, smirking. "I thought you would be here when I saw..." She trailed off and shook her head. "No matter. You and I meet. The day is fair. Shall we date?"

"How 'bout I get back to you on that one?" he asked uneasily. The girl was dressed in a cloak that showed only that her knees and lower legs were uncovered.

Pouting, she shook her head, adjusting her hands from her sides to her hips. This threw open her cloak and revealed her typical leotard beneath. "You seem reluctant, Ranma-sama my love," she said, narrowing her eyes. "After our last date, I thought you would be eager for another."

"What, did Asuka come back?" he asked, scratching the back of his head. Kodachi kind of made him nervous, and he really hadn't appreciated her attitude through their last date. "You know, why not pick up Mikado to challenge her? I'd love to see him get blown up by a bunch of lilies."

"And leave my person in the hands of that ... cretin?" she asked, disgust sounding in her voice as her expression shifted from hopeful to angered. "I thought you cared for me, Ranma-sama. I see now you only wish to throw me to dogs and men of ... low reputation."

"No, no," he said quickly, shaking his head. Kodachi was right; even she deserved better than Mikado. "I was just..."

She brightened. "You wish to test my resolve? I will survive a date with such a ruffian unscathed, I assure you. My virtue belongs only to you, my love, and I would not dream of allowing that scum to take it."

"Er... No," he said, shaking his head quickly. "I don't want you to date him."

"So you will date with me then," she exalted. "I am pleased. We shall meet three days hence. I will wait for you before 'Chez Palmer'. A suit and directions will be sent to you, care of the Tendo family."

"Now, hold on just a-"

"Oh, you really must restrain your eagerness," Kodachi chided, slipping towards him with a smile that began to make Ranma more than just slightly nervous. "Plenty of time for that later, my Ranma-sama... Do take care!" Then she leapt away in a cloud of black rose petals, and he decided it would be wisest not to follow to correct her.

But at the same time, a change of scene was required. Someone would have noticed, and Ukyou wasn't so blind as to be oblivious to every martial artist on her roof. It wasn't Kodachi's fault she thought she was as quiet as he was. He hopped down to the alley behind the building shop and strolled down the street. Now Kodachi thought she had him agreeing to a date. Funny how things like that seemed to happen a lot. At least Akane wasn't around to yell at him for it.

Yet.

He frowned at that thought, chewing his lower lip pensively. It would not do for Akane to continually misunderstand him and be able to throw him through the floor. He got in enough trouble with her slipping a power blow through when wasn't paying attention before she put on the damned battle dougi.

He turned his mind to the fight against Kodachi, looking for more insight to fighting girls.

That match was harder to gauge. He hadn't been at his best because at the time he wasn't at all adjusted to his cursed form. Additionally, he had to fight using Kodachi's rule set, and against a rather daunting level of less than scrupulous behavior from the girl. Ranma won, ultimately, and that time he'd managed to avoid even needing to directly strike the girl. His preferred method of victory, once it came down to it.

But how could he beat Akane without hurting her? A grapple just wasn't the answer -- with the dougi, she was stronger than him, even if her speed seemed only matched to his. He supposed as a girl he could be faster than Akane, but how could he disable her? Holding her in any kind of pin just wouldn't work.

He frowned, glancing at the skies. Clouds had gathered, rumbling ominously and threatening rain. Warned by his senses, he had enough time to seek shelter before it began. The nearest place to hide was Tofu's clinic, so he slipped inside as an elderly couple stepped out.

The doctor was humming to himself and going over some notes. He looked up and blinked. "Ranma!" he said, breaking into a grin. "Good to see you again. How are you doing?"

"Okay, I guess," he said with a shrug. "I kind of thought it'd be nice to drop by and visit." A peal of distant thunder rang out, rattling the windows before a torrential downpour soaked the streets. "Er. And I was lookin' for someplace dry."

Tofu chuckled, and shook his head. "I'll make some tea," he decided, moving into the clinic's small kitchenette. "What have you been up to? That bruise doesn't look like Akane's handiwork."

"What bruise?" he asked, wondering if he had a mark on his face. Shampoo, Ukyou, and Kodachi hadn't seen fit to comment on it. "Maybe it's from Mousse. I fought him earlier today."

"Ah," Tofu said, nodding. "And I think it looks a bit like ... Cologne, yes?"

Ranma smirked. "You're good," he allowed. "Yeah. The ol' ghoul wasn't too thrilled about me and Mousse tearing up the restaurant, so she tossed us out."

"Ah," the doctor hummed, moving away from the kitchenette bearing a kettle of hot water. He poured a cup of tea for each of them and set it down. "You seem troubled, though."

Ranma sighed, running his hands through his hair. "Yeah," he allowed. "Yeah. A little. Look... So, Akane's got this magical outfit that makes her just as good as me."

"Oh?" Tofu asked, raising his eyebrows and sipping his tea. "Well, good for her."

"I guess," Ranma said doubtfully, tasting his own tea and looking through the open doorway at the falling rain. "Thanks, by the way."

"Oh, think nothing of it. Now, do you have issues with Akane's newfound ... equality to you?"

"It ain't quite that," he said slowly. "I can't really fight her, Sensei. I mean ... it's just... I guess I'm reading her, and then the suit moves, or something. I dunno. But she keeps floorin' me every time I try and challenge her. I don't know how long it'll take her luck to wear out, but I think I gotta take a look at how I fight girls or somethin'."

"A possibility," Tofu said after a moment, frowning. "But ... do you need to fight Akane, Ranma? Aren't there other ways of dealing with conflict?"

"I guess," he sighed. "Maybe Akane doesn't need me to protect her after all.

Tofu's frown deepened. "Somehow, that doesn't seem quite like the answer either," he said. "Ranma ... do you think that because Akane's stronger, she won't care about you anymore?"

Snorting, the boy rolled his eyes. "I don't care about that uncute macho tomboy," he said. "Or what she thinks about me." Shaking his head, he muttered, "I dunno. I guess it's not important. Eh, if I don't have to worry about her, maybe I'll have more time to practice or somethin'."

"Very well then," Tofu said with a shrug. He glanced to his bookshelf and nodded to himself. Turning back, he asked, "Ranma, how would you like to learn a few shiatsu points?"

The boy brightened immediately. Shiatsu wouldn't hurt Akane at all. Maybe that was the answer.

-3-

Akane emerged from behind Tofu's clinic, her emotions in turmoil. She'd seen the Umi-sen-ken before, but didn't really understand how it worked. Despite that, the battle dougi had enhanced her minimal stealth skills to the point where she'd managed to follow Ranma undetected.

That turned out to be a much better use of the dougi than just beating up Ranma. Though ... after watching him cuddle in the streets with Shan-Pu, she was wondering if it wouldn't hurt to use the dougi in that capacity. And moreso after he'd gone to flirt with Ukyou, and then (of all things) asked Kodachi out on a date.

She blinked, shaking her head as she poured on the speed, unmindful of the gouges her feet tore in the pavement until she leapt, and flew the final meters over the street, the neighbor's house, and then lit on the peak of her own home. But ... Dr. Chrono had given her a warning. Ranma was going to be lost to her.

She mulled that over. She didn't have a reason not to believe him. Everything else he'd spoken of had come true, after all. Beating up Ranma wasn't the answer ... but then, maybe there was a clear solution anyway.

Before Ranma had come to Nerima, she was considered to be among the best martial artists in the entire Furinkan district. Oh, the ward had better martial artists, and she knew that most people simply forgot about her father, but she'd had her own renown. Then he'd come and started upping the ante until she couldn't hope to match it, and had been left behind.

Now, however, she was back where she belonged; she had the power to compete fairly. And that meant that she could actually tell the other girls to leave Ranma alone. She'd always wanted to, and just lacked the power to actually do it. Admittedly, she got on better with Ukyou than Shampoo or Kodachi ... but Ukyou was still trying to get Ranma.

Akane frowned, thinking of what battling Ranma's other suitors would signify. Was that a message she wanted to send the pigtailed boy? Maybe it would get him to stop sulking about the fact that she was better.

"I'm home!" Ranma called out from downstairs. Akane crept to the edge of the roof and listened until she could hear Kasumi handing him a list of groceries to collect.

Perfect, she thought to herself. The market area was across the district from the Neko-Hanten, and not that close to Okonomiyaki Ucchan's, either. Mind made up, she headed to meet Shampoo.

The girl was just returning from another delivery when Akane leapt off her rooftop and landed heavily before her. The impact and the dougi caused a crater to form beneath her, which she hoped would help cow Shampoo without any direct violence.

The Chinese girl sprang into a defensive stance, narrowing her eyes and watching Akane warily. "What you want, Tendo girl?" she asked doubtfully.

"I... I want to challenge you," Akane said, trying to force more confidence into her voice. "For Ranma, once and for all."

Shampoo stared wordlessly for a long moment, then smirked, setting down the take-out box she had been carrying and producing a pair of bonbori from the sash of her pantsuit. "You be careful what you ask for," she warned. "I fight you, Tendo girl, but if you think I give up on Airen, you is wrong."

"That's what this fight is about!" Akane protested. "I want to make sure you stop chasing after Ranma if I win."

"And if I win, Akane breaks engagement with Airen permanently?" Shampoo asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Y...yeah," she said. Why shouldn't she agree to a promise like that? She would win, after all. "Are you ready?"

"Fight right now? Is time before dinner."

With that, and no more warning, Shampoo sprang forward like a shot, leading with a single spinning mace to plow through Akane's defenses. Or ... that would have happened, if she hadn't had the dougi. Instead, her hands rose and grabbed the spinning metal sphere, wrenching it from Shampoo's grip and flinging it full-force towards the second bonbori to disarm her.

Shampoo jumped backwards, taking up a defensive stance and narrowing her eyes.

Akane tried to keep her hands from shaking, and asked, "You give up now, right? I don't want to hurt you."

The other girl's violet eyes flashed with anger. "Shampoo stop fighting for Airen when Shampoo dead," she snapped out, switching to an offensive stance and lunging at Akane again. This time, she was faster, and the dougi drew Akane into the defensive, bracers deflecting a pair of powerful knife-hands. While backing away, Akane threw herself to the ground, her feet reflexively lashing out and knocking the other girl down as well.

The dougi allowed her to bounce back to her feet in the same motion, while Shampoo took a moment to recover. "How about now?" Akane asked with a tight smile. Good, she was winning, Shampoo was disarmed, and she'd only really needed to push the other girl around. Not that Shampoo wouldn't deserve more, considering what she'd tried to do to Akane in the past. She wondered if the dougi would let her use the memory erasing technique that had been used on her, but quickly dismissed that thought. Doubtless it would not be required against Shampoo.

Staring at her in confusion, the Chinese girl looked momentarily lost before she flew at Akane a third time. With this attack, Shampoo left herself open for a snap-kick, landing an axe-kick of her own on Akane's shoulder in exchange. The dougi absorbed the impact for Akane, while Shampoo was flung backwards from the force of her counter.

Akane winced as Shampoo landed and rolled until she crashed until the far wall of the field behind the Neko-Hanten. "Stay down!" she yelled at her rival. "I don't want to hurt you, Shampoo."

"You kill me before I stop," Shampoo growled, reclaiming her feet.

Then the fight escalated, and Akane wasn't entirely certain what happened. There was a sensation of incredible grace and power, and a confidence that she was winning, but everything seemed to melt into a warm indistinct red blur. When it faded, she was gasping for breath, standing over Shampoo's fallen form.

The once lovely Chinese girl sported a collection of bruises across her face, and her outfit had been torn in places from the blows they had exchanged. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was shallow. Akane wiped the blood from her hand absently, noting that the dougi didn't stain. She tried not to think about what she'd done and staggered away, quickly taking to the rooftops.

That hadn't gone as she had hoped. But Shampoo wasn't that badly hurt and now Ranma would have to thank her for getting rid of a single complication in his life. That thought in mind, she walked to the edge of the rooftop she had stopped on, leaned over the side, and retched.

"I had to do it," she mumbled quietly, after recovering her bearing. "Otherwise I'll lose..."

She swallowed. Ukyou would be next. She knew she couldn't make herself fight Ukyou if there was a chance it would end up as ugly as the fight against Shampoo. But...

"For Ranma," she said with determination.

Then she tried to smooth her hair back into place and assure she looked ready for another duel, and ran to Ukyou's restaurant. The girl was chatting with a courier, looking through a box of freshly delivered ingredients. Akane took a seat at the grill unobtrusively, and waited until the transaction had been completed before saying, "Hello, Ukyou."

"Heya, Akane. What's up?" Ukyou asked, turning around to stow the box in her pantry. "You want a 'yaki? I'll give you half off."

She suppressed a grimace. Ranma got his for free. "No, actually... I..." She swallowed and stared at the grill for a long moment.

"Hey ... you okay? Looks like you got blood on your hands."

"It's not mine," Akane said, rubbing her hands on the dougi to try and brush the last few drops of crimson away. Raising her eyes to meet Ukyou's questioning gaze, she added, "I fought Shampoo today."

Ukyou squinted, looking Akane up and down. "You look pretty good for coming out of a fight with her," she allowed after a moment. "How'd you do?"

"I won."

"Well, that's nice. What were you fighting her for?"

Akane closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I fought Shampoo for Ranma. The deal was that if I won, Shampoo would give up."

"I see," Ukyou replied, now with an edge of steel in her voice.

"So ... I came here to challenge you for Ranma," she concluded looking at Ukyou directly and trying to ignore the handful of customers.

"I refuse," Ukyou said with a shrug. "Ranchan's not negotiable, Akane. I won't give up on him for anything."

"But if you can beat me, I'll give up on him," Akane pleaded. "This way it'll... It'll be over fast, and no one will have to be hurt."

"I doubt that," came the dry reply. "If you're trying to keep from hurting people, you probably shouldn't challenge them to fights." She served another okonomiyaki to a customer and added, "Aside from which, I love Ranchan. Why would I give him up to you? I can tell you aren't able to make him happy."

"I..." Akane swallowed. She couldn't make herself say it. Akane shifted her shoulders, annoyed. She hadn't wanted to fight Ukyou, but if the other girl was already convinced that Akane had no chance, she'd need to be persuaded to give up through force. "Well, you're wrong. I can make him happy, and I'll do it by clearing up his engagement problems. So, are you ready to fight?"

"Come on, Akane," Ukyou said wearily. "If you really think you can make him happy, can you admit a little feeling for him?"

"That's none of your business! I want to do something nice for the jerk!"

"And picking a fight with me is nice for him?" she asked doubtfully.

"You're only his friend, Ukyou," Akane said, shaking her head. "Ranma doesn't love you back."

That got the reaction she was looking for. Ukyou slammed a spatula into the grill and gritted her teeth together. "Ten minutes," she growled. "I'll beat you the same place I creamed Genma. I just hope Ranchan doesn't get mad at me for this."

"Hah," Akane retorted, forcing a grin she didn't feel. "We'll see. Loser gives up on Ranma."

"I'll never give up on Ranchan!"

"Then you'll give up on the formal engagement," Akane pressed. If she could do even that much, Ranma wouldn't be under any obligation to marry anyone except from herself. And that should neatly use Dr. Chrono's warning to make sure she didn't lose the boy she couldn't admit her feelings for.

Ukyou seemed hesitant, and began to shake her head. Before she could reply, Akane accused, "Coward."

Lips compressing into a tight frown, Ukyou nodded slightly. "I don't know what's gotten into you, Akane, but fine. If you think a new attitude, some nice clothes, and a lucky win against Shampoo are making you ready for this, you're wrong. Now get the hell out of my restaurant."

Flinching away, Akane rose, nodding back. "I'll see you at the lot," she promised, before she marched away, ignoring the fuming from Ukyou behind her.

Her heart hammered in her chest the second she was out of sight of the restaurant, and her knees wavered unsteadily. "Oh ... Mom ... please give me the strength to get through with this," Akane groaned. She pressed the aftermath of the fight against Shampoo from her mind. The Chinese girl had demanded that kind of punishment by not giving up.

Ukyou would be more reasonable, she hoped. She sat down on a large stone at the edge of the lot and waited.

Time crawled, and ten minutes seemed to take an hour. She had no wristwatch, but there was a nearby clock shop. She frowned, thinking she recognized the location... But there was no sign of Dr. Chrono's office anymore. She shivered, turning around as Ukyou arrived.

The girl had taken time to properly arm herself with her combat spatula and a bandoleer of much smaller throwing spatulas. "Okay," she said, heaving an unsteady sigh. "You're gonna insist on us fighting this out, huh, Tendo?"

Akane frowned at the lessened familiarity, then forced another smile. "I'm going to insist on beating you until you leave Ranma alone, Kuonji," she replied.

"I kind of figured it might come to this," Ukyou said quietly, unslinging her spatula from her back and inspecting it closely, turning it from time to time to study the wrapping around the handle that provided a firm grip. "Of course, I thought that would be a few months down the line. And I didn't think you would be the one to start it." Looking up, she asked, "How did you beat Shampoo? Her curse?"

"No, I'm just a better martial artist," Akane replied, frowning. "More power, more skill, more speed. That's all there is to it."

Ukyou looked doubtful. "Whatever you say, Akane. I just want you to know... You're not going to win."

"That's where you're wrong," Akane countered. "Ready?"

When the battle began, Ukyou offered a much fiercer fight than Shampoo from the start. She didn't try to feel out Akane's defenses, she seemed to simply assume that Akane would be at least as good as her.

Akane felt a moment of relief that she'd never tried to fight Ukyou before she got the dougi; when she'd blocked an overhand strike with the oversized weapon, the chef had used the recoil of the defense to bring about the other end of the spatula and drive it into Akane's stomach. The dougi made her roll away, unscathed, but it had gotten through her defenses anyway.

She bounced to her feet just before Ukyou reached her again with a charge and side-kicked the other girl's hip reflexively. If Ukyou wouldn't hold back, why should she?

Ukyou cried out in alarm as her frame seemed to fold beneath the force of Akane's kick, throwing her to the ground and spinning her over. The okonomiyaki chef whimpered, using her spatula as a support to regain her feet. Her right leg simply didn't seem to want to work anymore.

Akane fought down a feeling of revulsion, a red tinge beginning to consume the edges of her vision.

"Akane," Ukyou panted, holding up a hand and shaking her head. "Ranchan says I'm cute. Even if you beat me, that's not going to change. That's why you can't win."

The youngest Tendo girl had time to realize that the edges of her vision were blurring crimson, as she mused that Ranma had never said anything so nice to her. Everything went red again.

When the color faded from her vision, she was standing on a rooftop with her arms held out at her sides, heaving for breath and feeling overheated. One hand came in from her side and rubbed at her cheek, coming away with a red smear. Her blood, this time.

How ironic, she thought absently. Ranma couldn't lay a finger on her when they sparred, but Ukyou had managed to cut her. Hadn't she? Akane couldn't remember the details of the fight after she had knocked Ukyou down, and shivered at the comfort provided by the lack of memory. "This better be worth it," she sighed, rubbing at her eyes.

"I somehow doubt that it is," a voice from behind her said.

She spun to see Kodachi there, twirling a ribbon between them and watching her suspiciously. "What do you want?" Akane asked. "Oh. You don't even have a claim on Ranma. I don't... I don't want to fight anymore."

"I don't think you do," Kodachi agreed. "Yet, logically we should fight now if I wish to win. And seeing your performance against Kuonji-san ... well. I'm impressed. I do wonder what would have happened if I had battled you instead of your substitute." She smiled suddenly. "I think now is the time to find out."

Akane narrowed her eyes. "I'm not in the mood, Kodachi," she warned. "If you don't leave me alone, I might hurt you, okay? Just go home."

"No," Kodachi said, shaking her head. "I believe I know why you attacked Kuonji-san and that gaijin. You wish to eliminate the competition for Ranma-sama's hand, yes?"

"Which doesn't include you," Akane said, shaking her head. "My father engaged me to Ranma before you ever met him. You don't have a claim."

"Against you, I doubt I need one," Kodachi replied dryly. "Oh, you may have needed to press Kuonji-san into fighting you, but you won't face any challenges in me beyond my own skill. Prepare to defend yourself, Tendo Akane!"

And then once more, everything turned red.

-4-

After shopping for groceries, Ranma dropped them off in the kitchen with Kasumi's change, eyed the forming dinner appreciatively, and then got out of the way by going to the roof. According to Nabiki, Akane had left to deal with something, and now Ranma had some time to himself to relax.

He had just settled into his favorite spot -- the one over Kasumi's room, since the shape of the house provided a natural windbreak there -- when he heard an all-too-familiar cry, filled with unfamiliar panicked rage: "Saotome, you enemy of women! Prepare to die!"

A twist had him rolling out of the way as Mousse's collection of thrown knives, swords, chains, weights, and assorted other weaponry crashed into the roof. He was on his feet in a second, as Mousse landed, glowering at him. "Any last words before I slay you for your crime?" Mousse sneered.

"Yeah, actually," Ranma said, drawing himself into a mobile stance that offered reasonable defense. "What'd I do this time?"

Mousse shuddered, and Ranma was discomfited by the tears he could see in the other boy's eyes. "You sent Tendo Akane to cripple her!" Without any further warning, the myopic boy charged.

Ranma was stunned by the accusation, but still remembered to use his mobility to weave through Mousse's attacks, duck underneath a roundhouse, and then slam a spinning back-fist into his nose. There was a loud 'crunch' as the plastic frame of Mousse's spectacles gave way and the lenses tumbled off the edge of the roof, Mousse himself launching straight into the koi pond.

Not giving his foe time to recover, especially given Mousse's skill with thrown weapons in his cursed form, he leapt after. With a splash, she landed and wrapped a hand around his neck, holding him aloft and giving a firm shake. "Alright," she growled, shaking the duck again, this time sending a shower of throwing weapons to the pond as they fell free. "I'm gonna need an explanation for this, 'cause there's a lot of stuff I'd never do, and tellin' Akane to go attack Shampoo is pretty close to the top of that list." She'd sooner tell her to date Kuno.

Mousse struggled for a moment before giving a defeated sigh. Seeing that the fight was over for the moment, she trudged into the house after collecting Mousse's pants. His robe full of hidden weapons she left on the bottom of the koi pond.

"Hello," Kasumi greeted cheerfully from the kitchen. "Dinner won't be ready for at least... Oh." She nodded decisively and handed Ranma a kettle. "Here you are."

"Thanks," Ranma said, taking kettle, pants, and duck into the dojo. Once there was some privacy, she poured water over the duck, and flung Mousse's pants at him. The boy hurriedly dressed while Ranma poured the remainder of the water over her head. Not enough to change back, she realized wryly. "Now what's this 'bout Akane fightin' Shampoo?"

"Shampoo has been badly beaten," Mousse said quietly. He glowered at Ranma. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

"She looked fine when I saw her earlier today," Ranma said uneasily, scratching beneath her pigtail and shifting her shoulders. "Now, let's think about this. Who'd do it? Tarou, maybe?"

Mousse considered. "Maybe," he allowed. "I came back from a delivery to find her behind the Neko-Hanten. Cologne woke her up and asked who was responsible. Shampoo said it was Akane."

"Maybe we should go there and see how she's doin'," Ranma said with a frown. "Is she okay?"

"She's not at the Neko-Hanten," Mousse sighed, shooting a sharp look a few paces to Ranma's left. "Cologne took her to the hospital."

Ranma nodded slowly. "That makes sense," she admitted. "Okay. So who would want to make it look like Akane beat up Shampoo?"

"Don't you care that she's been hurt?" Mousse yelled. "Why are you so set on proving Akane's innocence when Shampoo's been put in the hospital?"

"Of course I care!" Ranma yelled back, ignoring the thump of something hitting the floor behind her. "Shampoo's my friend, too! I'm going to find out who really beat her up and then I'm gonna smash 'em into paste!"

Mousse crossed his arms over his chest, now glaring at a point just past Ranma's shoulder. "I'd rather do more," he grumbled. "But very well. As long as we are in agreement that what was done to her was wrong. If I even suspected for a second that you were behind this, I would kill you."

Ranma thought that was an idle threat. Mousse had already tried it earlier, and it hadn't ended favorably. "Sure thing," she said. "Now let's get to thinkin' about who's responsible." She turned slowly, pacing towards the dojo's door to close it before she stopped in her tracks.

Akane was sitting just inside the entrance, staring fixedly at the floor before her. She was still wearing the damnable battle dougi, though it was dirty and had blood... Ranma felt a tremor begin somewhere in the pit of her stomach, something that worked its way up into a shudder before she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

She didn't want to think about it. But the dougi... "Akane," she said very quietly, opening her eyes. "How did you get hurt?"

"U...Ukyou got a lucky hit through, I guess," the girl replied distantly, her voice barely above a whisper. "Or maybe it was Kodachi."

"What was that, Ranma?" Mousse asked, peering around and blinking.

The redhead loudly said, "I said I think you should go keep an eye on Shampoo. Ask her if she knows anything else about her attacker. 'Sides, you can't help me until you get another pair of glasses."

He grunted. "I'll protect Shampoo. You find whoever's responsible and then we'll both take him down," Mousse said. "And ... good luck, Ranma." With that, he shuffled to the door and left.

Ranma took a deep breath and pressed her fingertips to her temples. "What did you do, Akane?" she asked.

"I..." Akane stood up, recovering her bearing, and flashed him a determined look. "I took care of your problems, Ranma. I finally got rid of all the other girls -- they all agreed if I won, they'd leave you alone and it'd... It'd just be us."

"Oh, great," Ranma snarled, feeling anger rising within her. "So not only do you think that your suit lets you throw me around, you also think that you get to make choices for me?"

"What are you talking about?" Akane asked, flinching slightly. "I'm better than you now!"

"And what, just cause you're strong enough to do it means you get to?"

"W...well..." Akane trailed off and shook her head. "That's not it. That's not why I did this! I did it for you, and if you can't respect that, then maybe I wasted my time!"

"For me? Why do you think I want to marry some uncute gorilla like you, anyway?" the redhead asked, rolling her eyes.

Akane growled and stalked towards her, one fist raised menacingly.

Ranma slipped into a defensive stance. "Oh," she said. "I get it. Don't like how I'm actin', so now you're gonna send me to the hospital? Like after the Reversal Jewel?"

Freezing in place, Akane protested, "You're just twisting around everything I say to make it sound worse!"

"Akane, there's no good way to tell me you think that I'm worthless," Ranma growled. "I'm a martial artist. You have a magic shirt. Maybe you're not a normal girl, like Nabiki, but..." She trailed off, shaking her head. She needed to keep her cool, and screaming at Akane was just going to provoke a fight she knew she didn't want anymore. And like most fights she didn't want, she would need to make sure she could win before starting it.

"But?" Akane pressed, frowning, her hands dropping to her sides.

"But I think you should get cleaned up," Ranma offered instead. "Your dad'll flip if he sees blood on you." With that, she turned away, her mind awhirl. At least things couldn't get worse, she thought to herself distantly.

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	2. Phase 2

Unfair Warning: Phase Two

A metafiction by Brian Randall

Disclaimer: Original source is Ranma 1/2, which is the property and creation of Rumiko Takahashi. Her paints, my easel, and the brush is borrowed without permission (hence this disclaimer) from Kenko and Chris Jones, as this metafic is inspired by 'Fair Warning' and 'The Tomboy Solution'.

Note: Fans of the above fics will probably not enjoy the effects of this one. Consider yourselves warned. Divergence. You'll know it when you see it.  
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-0-

"Ranma, I just-"

"Shouldn't even be here," he growled, pausing in the large glass doorways of the hospital, shooting a dark look over his shoulder at her. "You know that you did it. If you're in a room with Cologne and Shampoo, I don't expect either of them to let you go without trouble. So stay away, you macho gorilla!"

Akane made a face and shook her head, fighting to keep back tears. "Why are you so mad at me?" she protested. "I just tried to help!"

Ranma sighed slightly, and stepped past the automated sensor that opened and shut the door before turning around and looking her in the eye. "I dunno what to say, Akane. I just ... don't know. If you can't figure out why I'm mad, well, maybe you should go home and tell your dad what you did. Maybe he can tell you."

She opened her mouth to protest, but the mechanism holding the door open suddenly hissed and slid the glass panes closed. Ranma spun and walked away, not glancing back until he was nearly to the front desk.

-1-

Her stomach hurt, and her entire body from the center of her chest and radiating outward to her right arm was a dully throbbing mass of indistinct pain. Mousse had been sent away by her great-grandmother, mercifully shepherded into oblivion when she had plaintively asked him to shut up.

Now the old woman sat in a chair beside the bed, humming thoughtfully, her expression grim. Her husband-- Former husband, she corrected herself, closing her eyes as another surge of angry grief welled up beneath the layers of pain Akane's battle had left her with. It wasn't fair! She was a better fighter, a better cook -- hells, she was just plain better at being a wife to Ranma!

How could Akane have beaten her? "I'm s...sorry," she wheezed out, turning her face away, trying to hide the bruises she knew must mark her.

"Son-in-law," Cologne said quietly. "I'll leave you a few minutes alone with Shampoo. But afterwards, I think we should speak."

"Uh... Yeah. Okay." Ranma sighed, though his feet made no noise. "What're you sorry 'bout, Shampoo?"

"Shampoo is... Is no longer worthy of..." She trailed off and shook her head minutely, a pair of tears burning across her cheeks.

"Oh, uh... Oh, man..." Gentle pressure brushed the tears away. "Don't mean nothin'," Ranma said after a moment. "Akane ain't got no right to try and just say how things'll be. Don't... I mean, you can..."

He sighed again, and she opened her eyes, heart skipping beats uneasily. He hadn't run away, at least, which would make the next part easier. "Ai... Ranma."

He wasn't meeting her eyes, instead staring at the flowerpot that Mousse had left on the bedside stand. Flinching, he looked away from it and over to her. "Are you gonna try and kill Akane for revenge?" he asked tiredly.

"Have to," she said weakly. "Is Joketsuzoku way."

"Ah," he replied, looking away and sighing. "Did you give her the kiss?"

"No," she breathed, eyes closing. "Not today. But before. Now must act on it."

"Is... Is there any other way around it?"

"Shampoo has no husband until Shampoo kills outsider girl who steals him," she said resolutely. "Is law."

"I don't... I don't want you to fight Akane, Shampoo," he said, shaking his head. "I'm... I'm real sorry. I just don't think it's a good idea."

"What, you no think Shampoo's honor has value?" she snapped back, watching him flinch away, unable to keep meeting her gaze. "Akane humiliate Shampoo. Shampoo will show kitchen-destroyer where she belongs!"

"I guess," he said shakily, "that I can't say she didn't earn that. But isn't there any other way? What if..." He swallowed, licking his lips and looking at the flowerpot. "What if it wasn't her? What if ... it was some cursed magical thing that made her do it?"

Shampoo blinked, considering. "Akane is no so skilled," she allowed after a moment. "Also wore specially ugly suit. Is cursed? Is what really beat Shampoo?"

"I think so," Ranma said uneasily. "And if it is, then I'm gonna tear it apart. Listen ... I want to talk about this with the ol'--" He cut himself off with a cough. "I'll talk to your great-grandmother about this. Can you promise me you won't hurt Akane?"

"Will do no such thing!"

"Can you promise me that you won't hurt her until I have a chance to prove she didn't do it herself?" Ranma pressed. "Please, Shampoo. If ... if we can do that, I'll say that it don't matter. Akane can't beat you and decide that... Well, it's between us and shouldn't involve her."

"Is no place for those who are not warriors," Shampoo said uneasily, discomfited by Ranma's attempts to defend the Tendo girl. "Shampoo must restore honor to--"

"What if I challenge you?" Ranma asked, eyes closed, the index finger and thumb of his right hand pinching the bridge of his nose. "Then it don't matter what she says or thinks. Once you get out of here and into fighting shape. Then will you let her go?"

Another surge of tears threatened to escape, and she managed a minute nod. "Yes," she said shakily. "A...Airen?"

"Yeah," he sighed, forcing a weak smile. "You rest, okay Shampoo? Just recover. I gotta talk to Cologne, but I'll be in the hall."

"W...wo ai ne, Airen." She nodded, biting her lower lip and watching the boy she hoped to one day marry leave the room. Somehow, he seemed to have aged a dozen years in the course of the last day, heavy footsteps carrying him away from her side and to her great-grandmother. Settling back into the bed and wincing, she wondered at what the future would bring.

One way or another, Akane wouldn't be tolerated as competition anymore, that much was certain.

-2-

She watched him stumble into the hallway, his eyes practically unseeing as he stopped and crouched on the ground, struggling to catch his breath. "You're taking this harder than I'd expected," she noted. Not as hard as she'd hoped he would, but hard enough to allay her concern that he was responsible for it somehow.

"Shampoo got beat up," he said dazedly. "I mean ... I knew she could use the dougi to beat me, but I never expected her to ... to..."

"To brutalize someone?" Cologne prompted. "It's not that different, really. She's just choosing your friends instead of yourself as the target. I only wonder at her improved skill. Tell me about this dougi."

"First, you tell me if your laws let people who are possessed off the hook," he countered, recovering some of his bearing.

Cologne allowed her right eyebrow to drift upward. "Ah, so it's a cursed relic, is it? Well." Her eyebrows knit together as she mulled it over. "Restitution would still need to be offered. If you want her to be 'off the hook', you would need to first either contain or destroy that relic. Then you would have to convince her to renounce her warrior status; a common workman who defeats a warrior with only a cursed relic, or the aid of magic may be dismissed as a fluke at the warrior's option."

"Meaning?"

"If you beat Akane, take away that dougi, and convince Shampoo to forgive Akane, she'll be in no danger from myself or Shampoo. Of course, this is all dependant on Tendo Akane admitting that she is no warrior."

Ranma crossed his arms over his chest, and Cologne added, "If you do that, and accept your engagement to Shampoo, I'll send Mousse back to China for good, where he can't threaten Akane. Won't that be a neat solution?"

"Somehow, I don't think so," he sighed, rubbing at his temples. "Okay. Thanks, uh, Elder." He looked to one side, flinching slightly. "Tofu-sensei?" he called.

"Ranma," the doctor returned levelly, walking down the corridor to approach Shampoo's room. "There's... Someone is here to see you in the lobby."

"Huh?" he asked, frowning. "Well, okay. Cologne, I'm sorry, I need some time to think about this."

"Take your time, but be sure you do think about it," she warned. "If it is allowed to happen a second time, it will be very difficult to consider a ... fluke."

"Yeah..."

-3-

Tofu looked at the dazed young man who followed him to the lobby. He stopped both of them in the hallway before the entrance to the large room. "Ranma," he said quietly. "I need to let you know something. Akane's here to see you."

He grunted, shaking his head and rubbing at his forehead. "Okay," he said quietly. "I dunno if I want to talk to her right now."

"Well, she's been very shaken," Tofu countered. "I know you care about her. I think you might want to talk to her at least briefly before we discuss Ukyou."

"Ukyou?" he asked, looking up from the floor, his eyes dimming in concern. "What happened to Ucchan?"

Tofu hesitated, then shook his head. "Forget about her," he said insistently. "For a minute or two. Talk to Akane, and then I'll explain. It ... will be much easier that way, I think."

Ranma nodded blankly and turned to walk into the lobby. Akane was dressed in an older outfit, one that looked a little frayed. Her eyes were as distant as his own. Tofu drew close enough to listen, not wanting to intrude, but suspecting that Ranma might need guidance afterwards.

"Akane," the boy said quietly.

"Ah... Ranma..." She swallowed and stared at her lap. "I'm sorry," she said very quietly.

"You should..." He shook his head. "Look. We gotta burn that dougi."

She looked up sharply. "What?"

"It's cursed," he said, crossing his arms over his chest. "Look what it made you do to Shampoo -- broke her nose and her left arm, gave her two black eyes, cracked her ribs -- that's not you, Akane. You could never do that."

"Yes I could!" she protested. "It ... it wasn't easy! I ... had to really make myself do it. But I did!"

Ranma stared blankly, his face a mask of shock. "Oh," he said after a moment, his voice not modulating at all. "I see."

"For you!"

"I need to go now," he said in that same curiously level tone of voice, spinning on his heel and marching into the hallway, stopping just behind Tofu. "Sensei?"

"Ah," the doctor said, shaking himself from his distraction. "I'm sorry, Ranma."

"Ucchan?"

"Oh, right." He rubbed at his cheek, mentally cursing himself for forgetting about the other girl. "Ah ... someone called emergency services. She was found in a lot near her restaurant. She's in the operating room right now."

"Operating room?"

"It shouldn't be that critical," the doctor said quickly. "Her... Her hip was shattered, so they're trying to put some pins in. There ... could be lingering complications."

"She could be crippled for life," Ranma said in a curiously emotionless tone. "Ucchan might--" suddenly his voice hitched, and his eyes closed. "What can I do?"

Tofu hesitated a moment, then nodded. "I don't know that they'll need it, but they are operating, and you've got type O blood. That makes you a universal donor. Why not donate some for a transfusion?"

A spark ignited in the boy's eyes, and he nodded quickly. "I'll do it," he replied. "Anything to try and help!"

"Come with me," Tofu instructed. Oh, the entire thing would be pointless busywork, more likely than not. But it would give Ranma a link to cling to, and while the doctor wasn't certain what Akane had done ... he knew that he could at least give the boy that.

-4-

Nightmares sometimes turn into dreams, and sometimes it's the other way about. This time, a dream had drifted briefly into nightmare and was slowly on the mend. Recent memory was a hazy blur of white ceilings and masked doctors snapping terse commands over her. Most poignant was a sensation of everything going dim as someone mentioned a transfusion, just before a sensation of secure safeness seemed to seep into her body, leaving her relaxed.

There had been a transition from that room to the one she was currently in, and she knew that at some point her tenuous link to consciousness had faded out entirely. Now she blinked up and saw her fiancé staring down at her in concern. "Oh, good," he sighed, tension visibly draining from his features as his eyes bore into hers. "You're awake. How are you feeling, Ucchan?"

She tried to sit up, but couldn't. Straps bound her to the bed, and when she tried to fumble them away, one hand was also restrained, likely to keep her from pulling out the permanent IV stuck into that arm. "Ranchan?" she asked, surprised at how cracked her voice was.

"Stay down," he urged, pressing his hands against her shoulders and ending her struggles quickly. "Now, I talked to the nurses and doctors, and Tofu-sensei ... and you're gonna be okay. It'll ... take a while to get to where you were, but..." He offered a weak smile. "In a month or two, you'll be ready to go out on our training trip, then we can try and get you all caught up, right?"

"Ranchan," she groaned, her eyes closing as the nightmare came back and she remembered. Here she was, lying broken and humiliated in the hospital. Tears escaped from beneath her eyelids as she rasped out, "Aka... Akane beat me. I said ... I'd... I'm sorry, Ranchan." A shuddering sob wracked her, incidentally causing her bump the restraints keeping her hip in place.

She hissed in pain but before she could cry out Ranma's hands held her still. "It's okay, Ucchan," he said, his voice almost cracking like hers had. "It don't mean nothin'."

Another unwelcome memory came, of Akane's quavering voice saying, "Now you lose anyway," before one of her own mini-spatulas was swiped towards her face. She vaguely remembered thinking she had been missed, and desperately ignoring the arc of crimson that trailed behind Akane's weapon before she tried to return the favor in kind ... but then it all faded away into noise and a reminder that she had been beaten.

"I c...can't be your ... cute fiancee like this," she choked out, eyes closing.

"Yeah you can," he assured her. "You're gonna heal up just fine. Lemme ... talk to Cologne a bit. I know she's got stuff to keep scars from forming, and even if you don't..." He sighed and offered her a crooked smile. "You'll be cute to me anyway, okay?"

"Ranchan," she sobbed, eyes closing as her unrestrained hand convulsively gripped and squeezed the one he'd left on her shoulder. "I'm sorry! I m...meant to win, for you."

"Don't worry about that," he sighed. "I don't want you fightin'. Come to think of it ... Ucchan, I want you to promise me you won't try fighting her again. Or Shampoo or Kodachi, either."

Her eyes flew open. "But-"

"No," he said forcefully, moving his own free hand to press a fingertip against her lips, silencing her. "If you think you need to fight over me, you might as well fight me yourself. 'Cause I don't like it. Bad enough when you don't get along, but this..." He groped for words for a moment before deflating, drawing his hand away from her mouth. "It ain't your fault," he said uneasily, shaking his head. "Don't matter. Just you rest and get better, okay? And maybe then we can make sure it doesn't happen again. I ... gave some blood, and now you've got it, so even if you don't see me around all the time, I'm here for you, 'kay, Ucchan?"

"'Kay," she said back tiredly, relief robbing her of strength. "No more fighting. I promise. Love you ... Ranchan," she managed, before she was surrounded in comforting darkness. She thought he might have said something back, but it was lost to the rush of time-release painkillers and their arbitrarily imposed oblivion.

-5-

Ranma stalked out of the hallway and into the lobby of the emergency room, where he'd been led to get to Ukyou's side. Akane watched from a corner, sitting on an out-of-the-way bench. After walking to stand near her, Ranma shook his head, unable to find words.

"I'm..." Akane broke off and licked her lips, staring at the floor. "Kasumi told me I should come here. She said you'd ... want to stay. And that I should bring you some of your things."

"Yeah," he mumbled, seeing the pair of bags that had been stowed beneath her bench. "I don't got that much stuff."

"Daddy said I should stay with you," she added, raising her head but staring at a point just past Ranma's shoulder, not able to bring herself to meet his eyes.

"Uh-huh," he said, unconvinced. "Kodachi ain't here. So I guess you didn't-"

He broke off and turned to one side as a team of emergency medical technicians bustled through the doorway with a stretcher, a familiar form lying prone on it. "She's going into systolic shock," one of them noted. "We need to get her into the operating room, stat!"

Both of them watched in silence as doctors emerged from the large doors that had admitted Ukyou only a few hours prior, their team expanding to surround Kodachi's stretcher before it vanished along with the doctors through the door.

"I don't think you should stay here," he finally said. "I think you should go home."

"But... Why are you staying here?" she protested. "Isn't... Shampoo and Ukyou will be okay, won't they?"

Surely Ranma couldn't feel bad about Kodachi getting what she'd had coming to her. Certainly, Ranma might be upset over her beating Ukyou, but Ukyou had asked for it by not staying down, just like Shampoo. She shrugged her shoulders uncomfortably, wondering why Ranma would be upset about the Chinese girl.

"I don't know if I want to talk to you right now," he finally said. "M...maybe later."

"Oh, so you're just going to run off after I did that for you?" she snarled, unable to restrain herself when her temper flared. "Spend all your time here with your lovers instead of with your fiancée?"

His eyes narrowed dangerously, and she flinched back at the spark of fire glowing there. "Yeah," he snapped back. "I'm stayin' at the hospital with my friends. Assumin' you don't decide they'll look better in the morgue. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm type O, which Tofu-sensei says is the universal donor. I'm gonna do what I can for Kodachi." He brushed past her and grabbed the bags, not looking back as he stormed back into the hospital interior.

-6-

"I'm sorry, Sir, I'm afraid you can't donate blood more than once in a six week period," the nurse said apologetically. "It's simply not healthy for you."

"I gotta do something!" Ranma protested.

"And we don't have enough for the transfusion she needs," Tofu noted from the boy's side. "They're transferring some more from Minato General, but it'll be an hour before it gets to her and they need to operate now."

"Policy is policy," the nurse said resolutely. "Making an exception and putting you at risk by drawing too much blood would open us up to a malpractice suit, not to mention who knows what other liabilities, and we simply can't have that."

"Ah," Tofu sighed, rubbing at his temples. "Politics. Yes."

"That's not-" Ranma began, cutting off with a strangled noise as Tofu tapped the back of his neck, locking his vocal cords.

"Well, Ranma, let's go fetch your twin sister. She has the same blood type, after all. I don't think there will be any problems with her making the donation, will there?"

The nurse frowned. "As long as she hasn't donated recently," she agreed.

"Good. Ranma, how long will it take you to find her?" The doctor tapped the back of Ranma's neck again, restoring speech to him.

He hefted the bags Akane had left, realizing that one of them had her outfits in it. "I can get her in a minute," he said. "'Fore I do that, can I talk to Kodachi?"

The nurse shook her head. "I can't allow you into the operating room, I'm afraid. Only friends and family are allowed inside, and then only briefly before we begin operating."

"Ranma's actually in a relationship with the young woman in question," Tofu noted. "I can vouch for it, as will the headmaster of Furinkan high-school, the girl's father. Will that suffice?"

"So that's why you want to give blood so badly?" the nurse asked in surprise, looking at Ranma in an evaluating manner. "Well, fine, then. I'll let you in. I don't think the doctors will let you talk long, though."

"I gotta hurry to get ... my sister here anyway," he said, nodding quickly.

"This way," the nurse said, shrugging, leading Ranma into the operating room.

It was clean, and surprisingly large. Two nurses tended the machines that Kodachi was connected to, while a doctor spoke into a tape recorder, making observations in a clipped tone. He broke off at the sight of Ranma. "I'm sorry, this is-"

"We're, uh, dating," Ranma said nervously.

The doctor blinked before nodding, wincing sympathetically. "We're going to operate as soon as we get enough blood for the transfusion," he offered. "From what we can see the shattered ribs pierced the left lung here." He indicated the right side of Kodachi's chest, almost bare where the leotard had been cut away.

"Is ... she gonna be okay?" Ranma asked tremulously.

"Maybe," the doctor hedged. "Her collar-bone has been shattered, along with the breaks in both legs. Her spine has taken a substantial amount of damage, but she still appears to retain sensitivity in her feet, and her toes react to reflex tests. Due to the splintering of several vertebrae, she's going to need to be in traction for a month or so until we can make artificial replacements. So she's not... Well, what was your girlfriend, Son? What did she do?"

"She was a gymnast," he said dully, taking in the blood covering Kodachi's lips, and the tube that had been thrust down her throat, likely into the punctured lung. Her eyes were open, but glassy, and didn't seem to track him when he drew closer, looking down in concern. Instead they lazily drifted, chasing something he couldn't see. "And a martial artist."

The doctor sighed apologetically. "Son ... in all honesty, I think that your girl is going to need to find a new career."

Ranma shuddered, a morass of rage and sorrow forming in his gut, threatening to drown out his ability to think. "I see," he heard himself say distantly. "Kodachi, can you hear me?"

Her pupils dilated slightly, though her eyes still didn't track towards him. "Nnng," she managed around the tube in her mouth.

"Her pulse is spiking," the doctor said, shaking his head. "Sorry, we need to operate. I need this room cleared -- and someone get me that transfusion!"

The nurse's attempt was a failure, but Tofu was able to wrestle his uncooperatively locked form out into the hallway, washing away the emotional paralysis with a splash of cold water. "I gotta give some blood," she mumbled, as Tofu led her back to the nurse who had earlier taken a transfusion for Ukyou, not bothering to use Akane's clothing as a disguise.

After that was done, Tofu found a spot where they could sit in private, in a currently unused office. "Are you alright, Ranma?" the doctor asked quietly.

"I think I need to break something," she replied quietly. "I'm just not sure how to do it without hurtin' Akane."

Tofu sighed, taking a deep breath and leaning backwards in his chair, a massive plushy leather affair presumably belonging to the doctor whose office this was. "Ah," he groaned. "I hadn't expected that this would happen. I ... ah ... don't really know what to say."

"Maybe Akane does," Ranma mumbled, rubbing at her temples. "Maybe, once we blow up that stupid dougi, everything will go back to normal."

"Maybe," the doctor said doubtfully. "You've given a lot of blood. You should just rest for the moment to avoid straining yourself."

-7-

"What... What are you doing back here?" Akane asked, her voice wavering as she looked up to see Ranma before her, female at the moment.

"I'm not going to try and be nice about it. I'm not going to be sneaky," Ranma said shortly, closing her eyes. "I'm challenging you to a duel, Akane. I'm gonna beat that dougi until there's nothin' left. I ain't gonna let it turn you into a monster."

"Monster?" she protested indignantly, leaping to her feet. "What are you talking about? All I did to those girls was the exact same thing they would have done to me!"

"No, they wouldn't have," Ranma rasped, eyes opening. Her voice sounded strained and weak. "They wouldn't challenge someone who couldn't defend themselves. They wouldn't pick on someone who couldn't save themselves. I bet you anything that Shampoo would love a chance to humiliate you. I know Kodachi thinks you deserve to take a few hits. But I don't believe for a second that they woulda done this to you."

"Of course not," she asserted, bowing her head. "Because they know you'd protect me."

"Yeah," the redhead sighed. "But you know what, Akane?"

"What?"

"I'd protect any of my friends. Right now, I don't know if you're one of them. Meet me at Furinkan at sunset. We'll settle this."

Without saying anything else, Ranma turned away, heavy footsteps leading back into the hospital before she vanished.

Unsure why things were going so badly, Akane rubbed the tears from her eyes and shook her head. "It's not fair," she whispered.  
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	3. Phase 3

Unfair Warning: Phase Three

A metafiction by Brian Randall

Disclaimer: Original source is Ranma 1/2, which is the property and creation of Rumiko Takahashi. Her paints, my easel, and the brush is borrowed without permission (hence this disclaimer) from Kenko and Chris Jones, as this metafic is inspired by 'Fair Warning' and 'The Tomboy Solution'.

Note: Fans of the above fics will probably not enjoy the effects of this one. Consider yourselves warned. Divergence. You'll know it when you see it.  
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-0-

Akane shivered slightly, looking up at the sky. The patchwork of clouds could turn into rain later, or could clear up, and in Nerima it was usually all but impossible to determine which it would be until the weather was good and ready to choose.

Before her was the field of Furinkan's athletic field. She hadn't told anyone about Ranma's challenge to her, and no one else was expecting the match, so she was confident she wouldn't need to worry about him sulking by being defeated in front of witnesses. If Ranma a felt the need to prove the might of the dougi, he'd get exactly what he was looking for.

Another shiver, and she rubbed away the tears that wouldn't stop running from her eyes. "Why am I crying?" she asked herself hoarsely. "I didn't do anything wrong!"

"You keep tellin' yourself that," Ranma growled, seeming to just emerge from the thin air, stalking towards her until they were about five meters apart, then coming to a halt. His eyes closed, and he rubbed at his forehead. "Before we start," he said haltingly, "there's a couple a things I gotta say. You gonna listen?"

"Of course," she answered, grimacing. "But why do we need to fight?"

"Because I want Akane back!" he yelled suddenly, eyes opening and burning with an angry blue glow. "I want to tear you apart for taking her away from me! I want to make sure that you can never hurt my friends or put Akane in danger like this again!"

"I am Akane!" she protested angrily. "Who else do you think I am?"

"You can't be Akane," he said, his voice hitching as he flinched backwards. "You... You can't be!"

"I am!" she yelled back, her anger growing. "You think that just because I can finally make a difference that I'm an impostor?"

"You're possessed," he said fixedly, shaking his head and looking her in the eyes. It was her turn to flinch back. "Akane would never do what you did. And I ... don't wanna hit you. I'd rather be fighting Herb on Horrai again!" The wistful fear drained from his face, replaced with a look of grim and dogged determination. The same face Ranma had shown once to Kumon Ryu, and on occasion, Hibiki Ryouga.

But never her.

A thrill of nervous excitement surged up her spine before it was crushed beneath gnawing worry. Did this mean that in their previous matches, Ranma hadn't really gone all out?

"But I checked with Tendo and Pops," he sighed. "And I know how to destroy the dougi. So now I will."

"You're jealous!" she protested. "If it worries you that much, I'll help you train -- the two of us together will be the best martial artists ever!"

"Ya got that half right," he said, his eyes narrowing. "Ready?"

"I-" She cut off, swallowing nervously. "Ranma, if you hit me, I will never forgive you. You never even said so much as a thank you for all I've done!"

His head bowed and he jerked slightly, either a sob or a laugh -- she wasn't sure. "You have no idea how much I hope the dougi's sayin' that, and not you." Then he looked up, shrugged, and charged at her. Even without the dougi the attempt was pathetic. She was disappointed, and turned to one side, meeting his blind rush with a palm-strike. He twisted away at the last second, reversing direction as he seized her extended hand and threw himself backwards.

Her strength with the dougi was not enough to resist his, so she found herself yanked unceremoniously off the ground and flung across the Furinkan yard. Shocked, she let the dougi take control, landing easily a few meters away.

He was already there, leading in with a foot-sweep. Her dodge barely allowed her to twist away, coming to rest in a crouched position, fingertips of her right hand resting against the lawn. "Is that the best you can do?" she snarled, rushing at him with a charge of her own.

Grunting, he took a power-blow on his crossed forearms, retaliating with a snap-kick that she barely managed to evade. While she recovered from her roll he backed off, and said, "Kodachi came in later. So for a while I started thinking it might not have been you."

"I fought her," she answered, settling into a ready stance. "I didn't want to, though!"

"Then you just left her there?" he asked, his voice tight. "Mousse found Shampoo. I don't know who found Ukyou."

"Kodachi," Akane mumbled. "She said she saw me fight Ukyou."

Ranma shuddered again, looking away. "So it took them a while to find Kodachi. You... You left them there. Just beat them until they couldn't fight back, and left them there?" His question took on a panicked pleading tone, his hands trembling as his eyes finally met hers, the fire briefly gone, replaced by shimmering unshed tears.

"Why are you so upset about this?" she asked. "I know that... That I kind of hurt them -- but it'll never have to happen again! It's all over now!"

"The ends do not justify the means here," he snapped. "Did you just leave them there?"

"What does it matter, Ranma? They're all going to be okay! I can tell them I'm sorry if it means that much to you-"

He grit his teeth, interrupting her with a snarled, "Yes or no! Did you just leave them there without even doing the honorable thing? Did you think for a damned second that just because you won you didn't have to show a fallen opponent simple human decency?"

"N...no," she stuttered. "I...I forgot, and-"

"That's enough," he said, his body instantly stilling from the trembling rage that had overtaken it. His voice was low and sibilant, barely carrying across the lawn. "I can hit you now."

She was on the defensive immediately, falling back beneath his assault. The first punch was deflected, but she left herself open for a kick to the inside of her shin. The dougi covered for her lack of skill, twisting her body out of the way at the cost of the knife-hand she had planned to strike his shoulder with.

"Ranma!" Akane protested, nearly landing a lightning fast crescent-kick to his face. "I don't want to hurt you!"

"I don't want to hear you talk!" he snapped.

"Don't you dare hit me!" she yelled, ducking a roundhouse kick that would have flung her clear across the school. She countered with a rushing tackle, slamming her fiancée's body through the walls of the main building and surrounding them both with a cloud of dust and falling brick.

-1-

The impact against the school didn't hurt him as badly as he'd expected. A few loose bricks had bounced off his head when Akane lost her grip and he slid across the floor through the obscuring dust. Shaking his head to clear it, he lunged into the screen, almost slamming his knee into Akane's stomach.

She flinched back and slipped away into nothingness. Straining his senses, Ranma hesitated only a moment before stepping into the Umi-sen-ken to follow. At the edge of his perception she was sneaking away, towards the opening she'd created into the room.

"Don't run away!" he yelled, rushing towards her and dropping his cloak. Please, he thought, don't make me hurt Akane any more than I have to.

"You're scaring me!" Akane protested, dropping her own cloak.

"How scary is being put in the hospital?" he retorted, emerging from the dust to lunge with a punch to her jaw. She flipped backwards, landing unsteadily, and he flung himself after without time to think about what he was doing.

He spun as he leapt, his evasion just avoiding the side-kick that would have shattered his upper leg. He landed on one foot, still spinning, and lashed out with his other, throwing the full force of the momentum trick into the spinning strike.

The first blow struck her with more force than he'd ever hit anyone outside of Tarou's cursed form with. Akane's eyes widened and she made a pained noise as she folded around the kick, her body crumpling. Not willing to give the suit a chance to recover, he spun towards her, evading an axe kick this time, and landing twelve rapid kicks to her abdomen. The first ten were deflected from the seal on the belt of the dougi that would destroy the thing forever, instead landing in an uneven circle around it, staggering the girl backwards. "R...Ranma," she choked out, her eyes wild with fear. "You can't beat me!"

Then another kick, this one just brushing her solar plexus, not tagging her enough to hurt, but drawing her defenses upwards and digging into a pain shiatsu point. The final strike slammed into the seal and sent her rolling backwards, the dougi exploding off her body in scraps of light as she tumbled.

Pushing himself harder than he had the entire rest of the fight, he managed to reach her before she landed, catching her nude form and cradling it protectively. His eyes closed as he heaved an unsteady sigh, shuddering with revulsion over what he had done.

"R...Ranma," Akane protested weakly, shivering.

"You're back," he said resolutely, eyes opening. Akane looked up at him with a combination of surprise, fear, and anger. "I... I freed you from the dougi. Are you okay, Akane?"

Then she slapped him, yelling, "You didn't save me, Ranma! You were jealous and just took away the thing that made us equal!"

He set her carefully down on the ground and turned away, pulling off his shirt and throwing it over his shoulder. "So." The stars wobbled unsteadily overhead, the sun having set at some point during their melee. He couldn't remember them being so blurry the last time he'd looked at them. "So it was you. You... Akane. You really beat them all up and just left them there."

"And now that I tried to do something nice for you, you throw it back in my face!" Akane yelled angrily. "Ranma, it's over between us! You can never apologize for-"

He whirled, clenching his teeth together, and glaring at her behind the wavering, blurry curtain that had consumed his vision. "I can't," he seethed. "I'd need to want to, first. I thought you were... I thought..." He shook his head. "Can you walk?"

She was standing, wrapped in his shirt and sniffling. "Y...yes."

"Could you get back home?"

"W...why are you asking?"

"You said it's over between us," he replied, frowning. "I don't think we're friends. The challenge match is over. I'm doing the honorable thing and making sure you'll be okay."

"Oh," she said very quietly, bowing her head and looking away. "M...my stomach hurts. But I can..."

"Good," he said, closing his eyes, ignoring the twin points of warm wetness he could feel running down his cheeks. "I don't think I want to talk to you right now Akane. Maybe not for a long time."

He slipped back into the Umi-sen-ken, unwilling to let her say anything that could make the moment hurt him worse.

-2-

"Oh, my," Kasumi sighed, shaking her head.

Soun had gone catatonic at the mere sight of Akane returning wearing nothing more than Ranma's torn shirt and weeping. Genma fared better, listening to the story intently and not offering any contributions to the conversation himself.

Nabiki had gone over all of the information and tried to assemble Akane's explanation into a workable theory on how Ranma could be made to beat Akane up. The youngest Tendo picked up a teacup in a trembling hand, sipping at it nervously. Kasumi said it would help settle her stomach.

According to Akane, Ranma had kicked her there, hard enough to be felt through the dougi, and his toe had dug into a pain shiatsu point, crippling her reflexes. Kasumi knew enough to assure her that the damage was only temporary, if extremely painful.

"Alright," Nabiki sighed, pressing her palms against the tabletop. "Kasumi, you talked to Tofu-sensei, didn't you? Did he say anything about Ranma?"

"He'd lost a lot of blood," the elder sister contributed after a moment. "Ukyou-chan and Kodachi-chan both took transfusions from him, according to Tofu-sensei."

"So he was fighting while potentially delirious," Nabiki said, frowning. "Not that I'd expect a jock like him to really be slowed down by lessened brain activity. Still, I never would have thought he'd try and hurt Akane."

"I never really thought Akane would put other girls in the hospital."

"Well, not since Maehara Sachiko," Nabiki agreed.

"What?" Akane asked, blinking.

"You were only six or seven," Nabiki said dismissively. "Mom had just passed on, and none of us were paying attention. You lost your temper. Don't you remember what made Daddy decide to train you?"

"No." Akane furrowed her brow in thought. "Wait. I think I remember a little. Sachiko kept making fun of ... of Mom. And then ... everything went red, just like with..." She hung her head and sighed, rubbing away the tears trailing down her cheeks. "Is Ranma going to be mad for a long time?"

"Hard to tell with him." Nabiki chewed her lower lip. "He may not have been right in the head, you know. Loss of blood and all. Where is he, anyway?"

"Tofu-sensei told me that he's staying at the hospital," Kasumi noted. "He also wanted to let us know that while it was touch-and-go for a while, Kodachi was stabilized and put into a recovery room."

"Well that's-" Nabiki cut herself off with a startled blink. "Excuse me? Touch-and-go? Stabilized? Recovery room? Transfusions are bad enough -- Akane, what did you do to that girl?"

"S...she wouldn't stop laughing," Akane said weakly. "She wouldn't say she would leave Ranma alone. S...so I hit her until she ... stopped."

"Oh dear," Kasumi sighed, one hand rising to press against her cheek as her eyes closed. "Oh my. This sounds rather serious, Nabiki. What should we do?"

Raising a hand to forestall her elder sister's questioning, Nabiki pressed, "And what did you do to Ukyou?"

"I beat her," Akane murmured, her eyes distant. "But she wouldn't admit it. She just said she'd never give up on Ranma ... then something about how she was the cute fiancee. Then she..." Akane swallowed and rubbed at the cut on her face, the one Kasumi had carefully treated and bandaged. "S...so I made sure she wasn't cute anymore."

Nabiki felt nausea bubble up in the depths of her stomach, but forced herself to swallow the bile she could feel in the back of her throat. "And Shampoo?"

"S...she wouldn't stay down. I had to hit her a lot too," Akane said, somewhat numbly.

"I'm starting to think I understand why Ranma tried to hurt you, Akane," Nabiki said quietly. "We should probably let him sleep on it tonight. Which hospital is he at, Kasumi?"

"Nerima General," Kasumi offered.

"I'm taking tomorrow off from school," the middle sister decided. "I'm betting he won't be there anyway. Akane, you should take the day off, too. I'm going to the hospital to try and talk to Ranma."

"Maybe I should go with you," Akane said weakly. "I... I told him it was over between us, but-"

"I think right now you should just stay away from him until I can figure out what's going on," Nabiki said, shaking her head.

"But I-"

"Do you want him to apologize to you?"

Akane nodded minutely.

"Well, then let me talk to him. You should stay home and practice with Daddy or something."

Soun emerged from his shocked shell. "What will this bode for the union of the schools?" he wailed. "Nabiki! When you talk to Ranma, you must let him know that the engagement has been switched to you!"

"What?" Akane protested, rising to her feet.

Nabiki shoved herself backward, crawling across the floor to escape her sister before rationality wrested control away from her panic reflex. Surely Akane wouldn't send her to the hospital, like those other girls. "Calm down," she snapped, glowering at her father. "Who said anything about changing the engagement?"

"But Ranma's not going to marry Akane after a quarrel like that!" Soun protested. "Not after he's seen..." The man trailed off and sighed. "Well."

"After he's seen what?" Akane asked, glowering at him.

"After he's seen what a poor martial artist you are," Soun concluded brokenly, breaking into tears. "I'm a failure as a teacher!" he wailed.

"I'm not a bad martial artist!" Akane yelled. "I don't need to listen to you!" She stalked to her room, only pausing to shoot an angry glower back at Soun.

"I should go with you," Genma said after a moment, nodding to Nabiki. "I think I should discuss this with my son."

"I could use some backup," Nabiki agreed. "This is going to be hard enough as it is. But I want both of you clowns to know I don't want to be engaged to him, okay? I'm going to talk, and try and get him to come back to Akane. Not me. Got it?"

"Yes," Genma sighed.

"M...maybe it should be Kasumi," Soun interjected. "If Akane's got a temper, a sweet girl like Kasumi would-"

"Father!" Kasumi protested, looking mildly pained.

"Let's just stop this before it goes any further," Nabiki said, shaking her head. "We'll talk about who's engaged to whom after we see what Ranma's up to."

-3-

She woke up again to see her fiancé slumped next to her bed, eyes closed and arms crossed over his chest. He was breathing deeply, and she wondered if he was awake. Her face reddened in embarrassment, a sudden stab of pain reminding her of the wound Akane had left her with... Her face flushed again, this time in anger.

"Ucchan?" Ranma murmured, rousing, and blinking at her in surprise. "G'mornin'."

"Morning, Ranchan," Ukyou mumbled back, turning her face away so the scar wouldn't be visible to him. "Um... Were you here all night?

"No," he said quietly. "I was gone for a while... Hittin' someone. Then I stared at the stars until the sun came up. Then I came here. Shampoo's got Cologne, and Kodachi's still not wakin' up."

"What? Why are-" Ukyou swallowed, her eyes closing. "Akane put them in here, too. Ranchan, I ... need to go away. T...to train. I'm sorry I failed as b...both a w...woman and a m...martial artist-" Her voice hitched, breaking into a wracking sob.

Ranma was standing over her instantly, one hand going to her face, gentle fingers brushing away her tears while his other hand found hers. "Please," he said shakily. "I don't... I don't want you to fight Akane."

Ukyou's eyes closed. "Oh," she said quietly. "You... It wasn't a dream. So she really did win."

"Like hell she did," he snarled, the anger in his voice sending her eyes flying wide once more. The hateful glower wasn't directed at her though. "I ... beat her up last night."

"You did what?" Ukyou asked, blinking away her shock. "B...but, I thought you'd never hit her! You let her hit you all the time and never did anything back!"

"I could take the hits," he said. "I guess ... I was just pretendin' somethin' wasn't a problem. Like Cologne said. But now I can't. You shoulda... She never..." He sank to his knees at the side of her bed, both hands going to his face. "I didn't ever want this to happen," he mumbled. "I'm so sorry, Ucchan."

Her free hand reached awkwardly across her body, despite her restraints, and she managed to brush her fingertips over the back of his wrist. His hand came away from his face and clutched onto hers. "Please," he gasped, tears shining in his eyes, "I really ... just want you to promise me that you'll never fight my other friends. I can't take this again. I ... I don't want to think about what I'd have to do!"

"I made a promise," she agreed. "For you, Ranchan." Her eyes closed. "But it's not fair for you to let her get away with this."

"I ain't," he replied. "She says we're through, and I'm thinkin' that's the truth. I can't..." He shook his head. "She ain't the sweet girl I thought she was. Look, I gotta go talk to Cologne about those herbs I was mentionin' yesterday. So maybe you'll see me and her later today. I dunno. But I'll be by to visit whenever I can, and ... the doctors said you'd need someone to help you out for the first couple weeks after they let you out. I ... kinda need a place to stay now. If you ... don't mind, then until Kodachi is released, I'd like to take c...care of you, like I promised I would."

Her face flushed again, and she nodded numbly. "I guess sometimes losing is winning," she mumbled.

He winced again. "I don't want anyone thinkin' that this kinda garbage is okay," he warned.

"I don't!" she protested, eyes filling with tears. "But I'm so happy that you really do care about me!"

"Ah," he sighed, rising to his feet, still holding her hand. "Um..."

He stared for a long minute, until Ukyou realized he had no idea what to say.

"Am ... I ugly now?" she asked, letting go of him, her free hand rising to the wound across her face.

"No," he said quickly, shaking his head and brushing some of her hair from her eyes. "I don't think so. But you rest and get better. The sooner you get out of here, the sooner I can take care of you. Just... Can I ask you for a favor, Ucchan?"

"You can stay with me as long as you like," she assured him, smiling.

"Ah ... I just wanted to ask you not to try and get any kind of revenge," he said apologetically. "And I know that's a lot to ask for ... but I can't let this happen again."

"I promised, didn't I?" Ukyou asked, scowling. "I won't attack Akane."

"Yeah," he said, nodding his head once. "Sorry. I haven't slept yet. I'm going to go see if Kodachi is up before I go to talk to Cologne. I'll probably see you soon though, okay?"

"Okay," she said, smiling brightly again. "T...thank you, Ranchan. And you try and get some rest!"

"Maybe," he said with a shake of his head, glancing towards Tofu, as the doctor appeared at the doorway.

-4-

She found him just outside of Ukyou's room, wobbling unsteadily on his feet, his eyes not catching her until a moment had passed. He had just finished speaking with Tofu when the doctor entered the room and closed the door. Then Ranma turned back and blinked at her tiredly. "Nabiki?" he asked. "Why are you here?"

"I was looking for you," she replied. "I checked at the front desk and they said I should... Ah, doesn't matter. Ranma, we need to talk."

"We do?" he asked.

"Well," Nabiki considered, glancing to the manila envelope in her hands. "I need to talk to you."

"This should be good," he muttered.

"Let me buy you breakfast," she said. "We'll go to the cafeteria."

Grunting, he shook his head. "I have to see if Kodachi's okay."

"She's still not awake. I asked. Come on, it's my treat, Ranma."

He grudgingly nodded, falling into step behind her. After passing through the cafeteria line he chose a sandwich and a sports drink. Nabiki took a bottle of soda and an apple, both of which she set immediately to one side once she was seated.

Ranma ignored her and worked on his sandwich. She watched him patiently, sipping from her drink while she waited. "So," he said, after demolishing the consumable. "What do we need to talk about?"

"Are you sure that's all you're going to eat?" Nabiki asked with a smirk. "I thought my offer would cost more."

Shrugging, he explained, "I've been up since yesterday, and gave blood. Tofu said that if I eat more than this, I'm going to pass out when I try and digest it."

"Fair enough," Nabiki said, shaking her head. "On to business. This came for us by courier today," Nabiki said, inclining her head to the envelope and tapping it with a single fingernail. "My younger sister has been expelled from school. Our family is being threatened with legal action by the Kuno family lawyers for assault on Kodachi. The charges aren't finalized because they don't really have Kodachi's status down, and the police haven't collected a statement." Nabiki's eyes closed and she sighed, bowing her head. "My little sister came very close to avoiding a murder charge, according to what Tofu told me about Kodachi's operation. Attempted murder is still a very likely charge. Something like that sure changes your perspective. Now, after this I guess I'm not ... going to try and ask you to forgive her right away. I can see exactly why you're angry with her, and to tell you the truth, I am too."

Ranma rubbed at his temples. "The Kuno family is rich," he mumbled. "Can you..." He trailed off and she opened her eyes to see him looking at her questioningly.

"I'm not a lawyer," she said with a shrug. "It seems to me that we should be able to get out of it, somehow. Maybe a lack of witnesses, maybe we can say it was self-defense." She smiled sardonically. "I'd like to believe that."

"So would I, but I know better."

"Touche," she allowed, grimacing. "I want to ask you for a favor, Ranma."

"What's that?"

"I want you to convince Kodachi not to press charges."

"I dunno," he said slowly, shaking his head. "Akane messed up. I don't get ... court and stuff like that, but it'll be better for her than Kodachi gettin' better and trying for revenge with more fighting."

"This is my little sister you're talking about," Nabiki pressed. "She could go to prison, Ranma. Do you want that?"

"No," he sighed, shaking his head and taking a sip of his drink. "No," he said again. "I'll talk to Kodachi. That's all I can promise."

"That's all you can promise?" she asked, incredulous. "Ranma, you've fought dragons, Tarou, and a foreign prince for Akane, how can you back off now?"

He grimaced, glancing around to see that no one was immediately nearby. "I dunno. I guess if I could tell anyone it'd be you." He paused, offering a weak smile. "Or Tofu. Ever ... since I met Akane, she was kinda..." Trailing off with a frown, he struggled for a moment, then said, "I always ... uh ... liked Akane."

"I'd noticed," she said dryly. "You're saying you don't anymore? Don't you think you're taking this a bit hard?"

"I ain't sayin..." He shook his head and stared at the table before him. "I guess you ain't a martial artist, so you don't really follow. I'da thought that your dad would teach you about-" He cut off with another grimace. "Aw, hell. He didn't teach Akane about it, why would he teach you?"

"Teach me what?"

"Martial arts ain't just about beatin' people up. There's a code of honor, and the Anything Goes school may be Anything Goes, but even we got rules about how to treat people after you beat 'em. You don't cripple your enemies or hit 'em when they're down. You let them alone and make sure they're gonna be okay. Damn it! Herb stole my manhood from me and locked me as a woman! He was gonna leave me that way forever! But when I beat him I just..." He trailed off with a groan and rubbed at his eyes tiredly. After a moment he continued, "Anyway. If they get better and challenge you again later, well, that's part of the school. Everyone else is gonna try and improve too, just like you. Why keep other people from getting better when you could focus on your own training, you know?"

"This does sound like something that my father mentioned when I was younger," Nabiki admitted. "I wasn't terribly interested at the time."

"Looks like Akane wasn't, either. But past those basic rules, Akane did a couple things you just don't do as a martial artist. You don't attack someone who can't defend themselves, you don't tell people that the terms of the fight change in the middle of a match, and if you're good enough to beat someone without hurtin' them, you..." He swallowed and looked away.

"You don't hurt them?" Nabiki prompted.

He nodded.

"You know, for a thug, you've got a surprising collection of ethics, Ranma."

"Thug?" he asked, indignantly. "Yeah, maybe I skipped that last one a couple times, but don't compare me to your sister. I never tried to cripple anyone, not even Shinnosuke, and I was pissed enough to want to."

She flinched back, looking up at the cafeteria wall-clock and wondering where Genma had gotten. "That was pretty cold," she said after a moment. "So you're telling me that you can never forgive Akane?"

"I thought the dougi possessed her," he mumbled. "I thought it wasn't her. But she told me it was. I w...wanted to believe she couldn't do that. That she was the... That she didn't need to fight."

"Yes, well..." Nabiki trailed off with a thoughtful frown. "You know, this may seem like an off-the-wall question, but humor me, Ranma. What do you see in... Well, what did you see in Akane before this happened?"

"I remember Horrai, mostly," he said hoarsely. "When ... I was down, and Herb was laughing at me, I thought ... I saw her, telling me I needed to be strong, or she'd never accept me. I thought ... that she needed me to be strong for her." He laughed weakly. "I had this ... I guess like a picture in my head that Akane was weak, and would always be weak, but that was okay -- that's what I was there for. If she couldn't look out for herself, I was there for her. 'Cause, I ain't any good at..." He shrugged and looked away.

"So you weren't really in love with my sister as much as your ideal of her," Nabiki finally opined with a frown, folding her hands together over the envelope. "I think I actually understand that. You see this as a betrayal of what you always thought Akane was. You feel like you've somehow been cheated or deceived."

"Huh?" he asked, furrowing his brow. "When did you turn into a shrink?"

She rolled her eyes. "I have an analytical mind, Ranma, and you're an easy read. From my perspective, this is all rather simple. Except..." She tapped her fingertip against the envelope before her. "You're not the only person to take this seriously. So now I'm going to need to ask you a serious question. Do you think you'll marry my sister?"

Ranma shrugged his shoulders and closed his eyes. "If it wasn't her... If it was the dougi. If it wasn't her fault, then ... then it wouldn't be that she was just hurtin' people 'cause she could. It'd be... But that ain't it. I wish it was, but that ain't it. It's just... Aw, hell. I guess it don't matter. No. No, not now."

"Well, good," Nabiki decided with a nod. "You didn't really love my sister, just what you thought she was."

"Huh?"

"I'm saying that you had an unrealistic expectation of my sister," Nabiki said, steepling her fingers before her and leaning forward, towards Ranma. "If you did marry her, you'd be trying to live a lie, thinking you knew her and ultimately realizing you didn't."

"And you said I was cold."

"Well, yes, you called my sister a thug. Just because I try and look at the logical aspects of things first doesn't mean I don't have feelings or care about my family," Nabiki warned. "But I can be honest with myself. Akane's violent, and she has a temper. But she's not just a..." She grimaced. "Well, until she got that suit, she wasn't."

Ranma grunted, his eyes drifting momentarily shut before snapping back open. "I'm gonna talk to Kodachi. I'll ask her about the lawyer thing."

"I doubt she'd want me with you, so let me give you some advice," Nabiki offered. "In order to convince her, you're going to need a bargaining chip."

"What's that?" he asked, glancing to one side as his father emerged from the crowd of nurses and visitors milling around their table, taking a seat nearby.

"I've decided that for the sake of the Tendo family, I will allow the pledge between our houses to be dissolved," Genma rumbled unhappily, pinching the bridge of his nose between his forefinger and thumb, eyes closing. Ranma wondered briefly at when he'd learned the habit from his father. "Soun will not be pleased."

"I think it's for the best," Nabiki said dryly. "Thanks for all your help earlier, Saotome."

Genma shrugged his shoulders awkwardly and sat next to his son. "I thought it best to give you a few minutes before I interrupted," he said quietly. "Boy, I do want you to understand that this is a serious issue, and I'm questioning the wisdom of Akane being the heir to the Tendo half of the school."

"Yeah," Ranma grumbled. "Happosai's gonna flip when he finds out."

Blinking, the elder Saotome adjusted his spectacles. "This may be more severe than I had originally considered," he allowed after a moment. "Once the master hears about this, Akane's definitely not going to be an heir. Well... Nabiki, have you put thought into training?"

"How about, 'No', again?" she asked, scowling. "I don't want to marry Ranma, and if I did-"

"Then she'd need to worry about the other girls thinking that the Tendo family got away with what Akane did, and they might go for revenge," Ranma growled.

Nabiki bit her lower lip and looked away, one hand resting atop her apple and idly rolling it across the cafeteria tray.

"Pops, keep an eye on Akane." Ranma gave his father a worried glance.

"It shouldn't have gotten this bad," the man sighed. "You go talk to Kodachi, Boy. I'll ... try and hold things together at the Tendo home."

"Keep an eye out for Mousse. He's probably going to try and kill Akane, if he finds out. And before you can teach her what she did wrong, she has to admit that she's not a martial artist to Shampoo. Not after what she did."

Nabiki flinched.

"What?" he asked peevishly, turning to look at her.

"You..." She shook her head. "Nothing. Go talk to Kodachi. We'll go home. Tofu said that you could send messages to us through him if you need to."

He nodded. "I'm moving out," he said after a moment. "Akane brought most of my stuff. And some of hers. I'll give hers to Tofu."

"Where are you going?" Genma asked worriedly.

"I'm probably gonna stay with Shampoo and Cologne for a week or two. She's gettin' out today. I'll keep Mousse busy until she's able to keep him in line herself. Then Cologne will send him back to China, and Ucchan'll be released. 'Course, she won't be able to take the stairs at her place with those pins in her hip, so I'll be takin' care of her for a while. Then ... I guess we'll see if Kodachi'll even get out to be helped."

"Ranma?" Nabiki asked quietly.

"Yeah?"

"Could ... Akane ever make this up to you?"

"Only if she'd known not to do it in the first place," he said sadly. "I think she crossed a line, Nabiki. I don't think there's any going back. And if there is, it's probably gone once I'm done talking to Kodachi."

"So ... this is it, then. A year of living with you and you being engaged to my sister, and it ends like this..." Nabiki trailed off and stared at her apple. "I'm sorry," she sighed. "This kind of sucks."

Ranma shrugged and quickly downed the rest of his sports drink before stuffing the sandwich wrapper inside the bottle and crushing it into a tiny crumpled plastic sphere. He forced the cap on and hurled it the length of the cafeteria, landing it in a trash bin to scattered applause. "Yeah," he said quietly, glancing at his father. "Good luck, Pops."

"You too, Boy," Genma sighed, rubbing at his face. "I... Well. We can talk later."

"Yeah," he said, scrubbing his hands through his hair. "Damn. Okay, just tell Tofu if you gotta let me know about more people bein' pissed at Akane. Later." He didn't wait for either his father or Nabiki to reply before he turned away.

-5-

Kodachi's first vision was of a doctor who spoke to her slowly in monosyllabic words. She initially resented his simple explanations, and then as the numbness and shock began to wear, she realized that it was entirely justified.

She was currently restrained, her entire body strapped to a traction frame that immobilized all but one hand. About the same time the doctor began to explain that she'd need months of therapy to be able to take care of herself, she closed her eyes and tried to ignore the outside world.

That worked, for when she forced herself to open her eyes again, another doctor was talking to her Ranma-sama, who shot her anxious and worried looks. Good, she thought. Maybe the Tendo harlot had beaten her, and her body might be crushed, but her will would press on forever.

"Ranma-sama?" she rasped.

He was at her side in a second, ignoring the doctor. "You feelin' ... not so bad?" he asked, wincing.

"I'm numb," she replied. "And thirsty," she added after a moment, surprised when she tried to cough and only managed a harsh wheeze.

Ranma carefully held a paper cup of water to her lips, which she sipped from. After a moment to recover her breath she sighed, allowing her eyes to drift shut. He took the cup away, and she said, "I barely feel pain. Is it morphine? I think it feels rather like an opiate."

"It... Yes. It's morphine," the doctor said, surprise sounding in his voice. "Is this problematic?"

"I don't care for opiates," she said distantly. "Ranma-sama? Will you tell me what happened?"

"I don't know everything," he said, rubbing at his temples. "But from what I can tell, it was pretty bad."

"It's amazing you pulled through," the doctor noted. "If Ranma's sister hadn't given you a transfusion we might have lost you; as it is, we didn't expect you to be lucid for a week."

Her laugh succeeded where the cough failed, sending a spasm of pain through her chest to rebound against her shattered bones and then back into her heart. "Ah," she gasped, eyes closing. Her mobile hand tried to clench into a fist but couldn't; something was caught in it. She opened her eyes when she had recovered herself, looking with surprise to see that Ranma had taken her mobile hand, clasping it between both of his.

Smiling forlornly, she said, "I do not think I will be able to make it to our date, Ranma-sama."

"D...don't worry about that," he said, shaking his head. "We'll... Some other time, yeah? Let's worry about you getting better."

"Yes," she sighed. "Tell me of your sister, please. Why did she seek to save my life?"

"Oh. Right," Ranma mumbled. "Tofu-sensei, can you close the door?"

"Of course," the doctor replied, frowning as the door shut and then locked with a loud click. "I hope that this isn't going to be a shock, but I suppose if she can survive..."

"Yeah yeah yeah," Ranma grumbled, stepping backwards and taking the pitcher of water from the bedside stand. "I don't actually have a sister. I got this curse that turns me into a girl when I'm splashed with cold water." He took her hand in his, then upended the pitcher over his head.

Her heart skipped a beat as the hand clasped in hers changed dimension, and she beheld not Ranma, but the redheaded harridan she had always loathed. "N...no," she murmured, biting back an instant of panic when her restraint kept her from even shaking her head minutely. "Y...you... I thought..."

"I'm a guy," she said quickly, scowling. "It's just a curse. So you got some of my blood. The hospital just won't let you donate twice, so I used my curse to trick 'em."

"Twice?"

"Before you were found," the redhead said uneasily, looking away, "my ... my fiancée, Kuonji Ukyou needed a transfusion, too. So she got one."

"Ah," Kodachi murmured, her heart still racing. She glanced at the monitor displaying her pulse to both ... Ranma, she forced herself to admit. Ranma and Tofu could see her pulse clearly on the screen, and the doctor was starting to look concerned. She forced herself to calm, her heart rate slowing after a handful of shallow breaths. "I am glad," she said after a moment, wishing her breathing weren't quite so shallow, "that she was found. I would have waited to see that help arrived, but I thought it best..." She blinked at a sudden thought. "Tendo Akane still walks free?"

"I beat her up," Ranma mumbled, looking away. "Destroyed the suit that gave her power. She won't hurt you again, Kodachi. I promise you that on my honor as a martial artist."

"Good," she replied, managing a smile. "I may be defeated, but she has lost more than I."

Tofu snorted, then shook his head. "Truer words," he sighed. "Kuno-san, I imagine that this is news to you, since your family has not been by to visit yet, but your father has reacted to this."

"Poorly, I suspect," she mused. "Has he declared war? Banished Tendo Akane forever from Furinkan's halls?"

"Pretty much," Ranma said with a nod. "He's suin' the Tendo family, and she got expelled."

"Ah," Kodachi murmured. "Good."

"Look, is there any way I can talk you out of suing her?" Ranma pleaded.

"You defend her after all this?" she asked, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. "She reduces me to this and still you-"

She was silenced when the redhead placed a fingertip on her lips. The other girl smiled sadly. "This is a shiatsu spot. It makes people listen. I wish I had time to learn..." She trailed off and sighed. "Never mind that. I don't want you to think that I'm going back to Akane. I'm not. I don't think I can, not after seeing what she did to you, Ucchan, and Shampoo. But at the same time..." She hesitated. "I can't say it ain't her fault. 'Cause it is. But she ... well, she's gonna be in enough trouble. Is ... there anything I can do -- pretty much anything at all -- to get her out of trouble with you?"

"Anything?" Kodachi asked, turning her eyes to the bespectacled doctor.

Tofu coughed and studiously looked away.

"Anything," she murmured, turning her gaze back to the redhead, who looked on the verge of tears herself. "Would you marry me?"

"I'm already engaged to Ucchan," she said apologetically. "And ... I'm supposed to be married to Shampoo, too. I dunno if I can make that kind of promise. But I can take care of you. I can ... try and help you get better-- Tofu-sensei's teaching me all about shiatsu. When I talk to Cologne, I'll ask her if she can tell me about healing herbs and stuff. Ucchan ... got scarred ... so she's gonna need something to take care of that ... and I bet the old ghoul's stuff would get you back on your feet faster, too."

"Why do you want to help me?"

Ranma blinked at the question. "Huh?"

"I haven't done anything to deserve your affection," Kodachi murmured, glancing between Tofu and Ranma suspiciously. "Is this all to save Tendo Akane the wrath I feel she so righteously deserves?"

"N...no," Ranma protested, shaking her head. "I don't want you to do what Akane did back to her. I don't ... I can't..." She deflated, rubbing at her eyes. "I can't watch my friends tear each other apart like this, Kodachi. I want to make sure that none of you have anything like this happen again. I'm trying to just make sure that everyone ends up as safe and happy as they can."

"Including Akane."

"Yeah," Ranma groaned. "I want her safe, too."

"I see."

"That don't mean I want her near you," the redhead warned quickly.

"You are as noble as I always dreamed," Kodachi murmured. "For you, Ranma-sama, I will ask my father to desist his litigation."

Ranma sighed in relief.

Swallowing nervously, Kodachi licked her lips and asked, "Will you forgive me?"

"For what?" the redhead asked, startled at the question.

"For my vicious assault against yourself," she said uneasily. "When I thought that ... you were competing against me for ... ah ... your affection." She grimaced at how poorly worded her explanation seemed after she uttered it.

"Oh," Ranma snorted. "No big deal. I can take a hit or two. And ... that's nothing compared to this. Ah ... we should probably let you rest, and I gotta talk to Cologne."

"Maybe you should get some sleep first," Tofu interjected, before Kodachi could reply. "You're pushing yourself a little too hard, Ranma. I'm concerned that your judgment may be affected by your blood loss. I know you're strong and can handle a lot of punishment, but even you have limits."

"Yeah, but-"

"Please don't leave me, Ranma-sama," Kodachi pleaded. "Hospitals are so dreary, and I'm so terribly confined!"

"Well," the redhead said uncertainly, "I'm worried about-"

"Everyone is safe right now," Tofu admonished. "You'll need your strength to take care of others. Shampoo won't even be leaving for hours."

Licking her lips, Ranma asked, "Will you wake me up before then?"

"Yes," the bespectacled man promised, sliding a chair from the corner towards Ranma. "So at least sit down and close your eyes for a while."

"O...okay," Ranma said uneasily. "I guess I'm feelin' kinda tired. Can I get some hot water?"

The doctor rolled his eyes and filled the pitcher from the tap before dousing the girl. Red hair shifted to black as he assumed his true form and expanded to properly fill the clothes he was wearing.

"Thanks, Tofu-sensei," Ranma mumbled, rubbing at his eyes as he sank to sit in the chair, scooting it closer to Kodachi.

"Think nothing of it." Tofu patted the boy's back companionably. A moment later Ranma's eyes drifted shut and he slumped forward, leaning against Kodachi's bed with his face resting just by her hand.

She idly brushed his bangs from his closed eyes and turned her gaze to the doctor. "Is he well?" she asked.

"Stubborn, but fine," he assured her. "Maybe this time the trick will work."

"Pardon?"

"Oh, don't worry about it," he said, shaking his head as he strode towards the door. "You should get some rest, too. Your body has a lot of healing to do. I need to track down an old ... associate of mine."

Kodachi tried to nod, but her restraints prevented that much, so she offered a weak smile instead. "Ah, this is not how I had hoped to sleep with you the first time, Ranma-sama," she murmured, allowing her mind to relax into the peaceful oblivion lurking at the edges of her perception.  
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	4. Phase 4

Unfair Warning: Phase Four

A metafiction by Brian Randall

Disclaimer: Original source is Ranma 1/2, which is the property and creation of Rumiko Takahashi. Her paints, my easel, and the brush is borrowed without permission (hence this disclaimer) from Kenko and Chris Jones, as this metafic is inspired by 'Fair Warning' and 'The Tomboy Solution'.

Note: Fans of the above fics will probably not enjoy the effects of this one. Consider yourselves warned. Divergence. You'll know it when you see it.  
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"Where is Ranma?" Shampoo asked, trying to adjust her broken arm to a slightly less aggravating position. The thing itched incessantly no matter where she put it, and she tried to simply ignore it, but the demanding itch kept returning.

"Tofu tells me he's been put to sleep for a while," Cologne answered after a moment, glancing out the door and down the hallway. "Do you realize how lucky you are, Shampoo?"

"Lucky that Ranma still will challenge me?" she asked. "Yes. Shampoo very lucky."

"No," Cologne countered with a grimace. "I know that you'd dearly love to beat Akane senseless-"

"Always! Kitchen-destroyer does not deserve Ranma. Ranma deserves better."

The old woman nodded. "That may be true. But she was merely a slip of a girl, not a warrior. It's fortunate that she attacked you before you were made to attack her. Ranma is furious with the Tendo girl ... and regardless of their admissions, I know he was deeply in love with her. More so than with you."

Shampoo flinched, the itching sensation forgotten.

"Imagine for a moment, my dear great-granddaughter, how upset he would be if you had beaten and abandoned Akane."

"Ranma very angry," she admitted quietly after a moment. "Is very lucky Akane make mistake before Shampoo. Is also lucky that Ranma angry at Akane, not Shampoo. But Shampoo never do such a thing."

"Very true," Cologne sighed. "But you're also lucky you weren't hurt as badly as those other girls."

"Joketsuzoku warriors is strong! Is no luck, is-"

"Luck," Cologne repeated with a scowl. "If you weren't the first person Akane had challenged, I'd be willing to bet that you'd be worse off. Perhaps greatly so."

"Shampoo is lucky," she murmured quietly, looking towards the window and wishing she could escape the hospital sooner.

"Yes. Now, Son-in-law is going to be staying with us until I send Mousse away. Seeing how he's taken this, I expect he's likely also going to ask me to show him enough about medicinal herbs to help Kodachi, and possibly Ukyou. So bearing in mind your fortune, shall we offer assistance, or shall we trick him into poisoning her?"

Shampoo blinked, considering. It was true that it was a rare opportunity -- Ukyou was already injured, so it could go unnoticed that they'd given Ranma poor advice on how to treat her. And Cologne was quite skilled, so could devise... But... "No," she said, shaking her head. "Shampoo very lucky. Not push that."

"Good," Cologne said, smiling. "I'd have been disappointed if you said yes."

"Not as much as Ranma," Shampoo muttered.

"Ah, excellent. I was confident that you would grasp the real importance of this. Now try and take a nap -- perhaps when you wake up, it will be time for Ranma to take you back home."

"Yes," Shampoo sighed, closing her eyes. "That will be nice."

-1-

After waking blearily at Kodachi's side, Ranma had straightened out the rumpled clothes he hadn't changed since he'd fought Akane, brushed the girl's hair from her sleeping face, and then squinted at the doctor. "Tofu?" he asked suspiciously. "Was that a sleep-spot?"

"You needed it," the doctor said unapologetically. "Now, I've woken you up as promised; Shampoo's going to be released in about thirty minutes."

After another glance at Kodachi's slumbering form he nodded, rising to his feet and pushing the chair quietly back into a corner. "I thought they'd kick me out of here," he mumbled.

"I pulled some strings," Tofu assured him.

Grunting, Ranma strode down the hallways at the doctor's side, rousing slowly on the walk. By the time they reached Shampoo's room he'd estimated he was as awake as he'd get, given that his body was still recovering from the blows Akane had landed, the lack of adequate sleep, and the blood-loss.

"Hey," he said, nodding to the purple-tressed girl sitting in her bed, leaning against a stack of pillows and tiredly flipping through a Chinese newspaper. "You feelin' okay?"

"Stupid sudoku is too easy," she said, tossing the papers away. "Ranma! I is okay. You?"

"Been better," he admitted after a moment.

Tofu nodded at him, stepping out of the room and turning back from the hallway. "I'll take care of filing Cologne's paperwork," he said, closing the door.

"You ... win against ugly costume?" Shampoo asked warily.

"It's wrapped up in a towel," he said after a moment. "Well, the pieces are. I sealed it with a couple dozen ofuda. Tofu's got it somewhere -- I'll give it to Cologne to destroy forever at the Neko-Hanten."

"Good," she decided, nodding. "Now Tendo girl admits she is no warrior, and Shampoo no have to act on kiss of death."

"She'll do that," Ranma said quietly. "Anyway. I think Cologne is gonna send Mousse away to China."

"Also good!"

He snorted, offering a weak smile. "Probably," he admitted. "I never thought Akane'd make herself an enemy like him."

"Can we no talk about her?" Shampoo asked dully. "Ranma hardly ever talks to Shampoo."

"Yeah," he said, scrubbing his hands through his hair. "I'm probably gonna pass out again when we get back to the Neko-Hanten. Sorry, I've been kinda busy."

"Shampoo know," she assured him, smiling wryly. "You is ... worried for Shampoo?"

"Yeah," he admitted. "I didn't know what Akane was gonna do with that damned... I mean, yeah. I was worried for all of you."

Shampoo frowned and looked away. "Oh. You is going back to her, then." Her voice was oddly flat.

"No, no... I don't... I can't." He slumped, pulling the room's single chair closer to the bed before sinking into it. "I haven't really had time to think about things. But I thought Akane was a very different girl from the one she really is." He stared silently for a long minute, then sighed, leaning back in his chair. "This is crazy."

"Is so," she said softly. "What you do now?"

"I'm gonna ask if I can stay with you," he mumbled. "I want to help you out and keep an eye on Mousse until he's gone. That's when Ucchan gets out of the hospital, too."

"Ranma take care of Shampoo?"

"Is so," he said with a smirk. "On my honor as a martial artist, I'll take care of ya."

"Shampoo happy!" she said, eyes closing briefly.

She beamed a smile at him, and he hastily amended, "I mean, at least until I can challenge you again, like I promised."

The door opened then, Tofu peering in and offering a warm smile. "You're free to go," he said quietly. "Cologne's already taken Mousse -- they're looking for some herbs that they said you'd want."

"Herbs?" Ranma asked, frowning. "Huh. Wouldn't put it past the old ghoul to figure that out. Well, anyway, you ready to get outta here, Shampoo?"

"Yes!" the girl said eagerly, eyes lighting up. "We go now?"

"In a bit," Ranma said, rising from his chair and going to the bag of possessions that Cologne had left for her. "You get dressed, and then I want to check in on Ucchan and Kodachi before we leave." He paused and glanced to Tofu. "If that's okay?"

"Certainly," the doctor agreed. "Why don't we give Shampoo some privacy to change?"

"Yes," she said, nodding. "Doctor outside, Ranma stay here."

The boy blinked. "Huh?"

Tofu snickered and grabbed the back of Ranma's collar, hauling him out of the room. "No fair!" Shampoo protested, climbing laboriously out of the bed.

The door shut then, and Ranma glanced down the hallways. "Am I screwin' up, Sensei?" he asked anxiously. "You said I wasn't judging things so good."

"I think that while your judgment may not be perfect, your heart is honestly in the right place," the doctor said after a moment. "But the truth is a powerful weapon. For what it's worth, letting Shampoo see the condition that the other girls are in should calm her down a little."

"Calm her down? She don't seem that bad," Ranma mumbled.

"Ah ... never mind. She's probably finished changing by now, why don't you go and check on her?" The doctor knocked loudly on the door, counted to ten, then opened it and pushed Ranma through before closing it again.

He wobbled unsteadily and glanced up, relieved to see that Shampoo had gotten her pantsuit on, and was struggling to adjust the ties on her shirt with one hand. "Let me help," he said reflexively, striding to her side and swiftly knotting the cords. "There we go."

"Thank you," she murmured, leaning into him. He started to reflexively leap away before he remembered her condition and forced himself to hold still, letting the girl put her good arm around his waist to use him as support. "We go see Kodachi and Ukyou now?"

"Yeah," he said, nodding. He was distracted by how gentle and subdued she seemed, just holding him and leaning into his side. He couldn't help but compare it to Akane; if Akane had been injured, he thought he would end up carrying her. If she'd let him help at all. He bit his lip to keep himself from sighing; Shampoo had an arm wrapped around him and wouldn't miss that. And the last thing he wanted to do was discuss the one girl with the other. He didn't even want to think about anything until he could sleep.

Tofu was waiting for them in the hallway, muttering darkly to himself as he studied a clipboard. Ranma glanced at it, but saw only the katakana spelling for a foreign doctor's name. "Who's Chrono-sensei?" he asked, trying to distract himself from his current chain of thought.

"A former associate," Tofu said quietly. "I need to look him up to ... discuss something. It's not terribly relevant, so don't worry about it." Clearing his throat abruptly, Tofu continued, "We're off official visiting hours, so let's see to your friends."

Ranma put his arm over Shampoo's shoulder, behind her back. She stepped confidently, only limping into him slightly, and in short order they reached Ukyou's room.

The okonomiyaki chef was staring at the television with a combined look of interest and disgust. "'Alez cuizine' my butt," she grumped, shaking her head. "If the Iron Chef wins this one, I know it's rigged-- Ranchan!" She broke off mid-complaint and shot him a bright grin before it froze and melted to a look of warring dread and false cheer.

Shampoo shifted slightly in Ranma's grip, and said, "Um... Hello, Ukyou. Akane ... put you here?"

"Yeah," she said, features fading to disappointment and regret as she stared out the window.

"Is not so bad," Shampoo said, releasing Ranma and hobbling to the seat beside Ukyou's bed. "Great-Grandmother knows many herbs. Shampoo almost get worse scar once."

"R...really?" Ukyou asked in surprise, her free hand reflexively going to the healing wound across her cheek. "W...why would..." She trailed off and managed an awkward smile for the Chinese girl. "Um... Thanks, Shampoo."

"They let you out in two weeks?" Shampoo asked.

Ukyou grimaced and nodded. "If I'm lucky. They said that'd be the earliest, and it might be months. I can't move much until my hip sets," she explained. "They don't want to leave so many pins in when they send me home. But at least I'm not in traction. One of the nurses was telling me there's a girl here who can't move at all because of some spinal injuries. She's being kept immobilized until they can replace three crushed vertebrae."

"Is not as bad as could be, then," Shampoo said nodding.

Ranma flinched and said, "That other girl is Kodachi."

Ukyou and Shampoo both blinked before wincing. "Ouch," Ukyou finally said. "Is she ... okay?"

"She pulled through," he allowed with a sigh. "Oh, man. Principal Kuno flipped out and is gonna sue the Tendo family for assault. Akane got expelled, too. Kodachi's gonna try and talk him out of the suing part, but I didn't ... feel right askin' to have her not be expelled. Seemed like I was kind of pushing things already."

"Wow." Ukyou stared for a minute, then shook her head, fumbling with the remote and turning the television off. "I don't know what to say."

"Me neither," Ranma said. "Ah ... I'm takin' Shampoo back to the Neko-Hanten, but I'll come by tomorrow to see you and Kodachi."

"Okay," she replied. "Um, are you still going to..." She trailed off apprehensively, and glanced at Shampoo.

"Yeah, yeah," he said, shaking his head. "I wasn't gonna stop takin' care of ya, Ucchan. Once Shampoo gets better they'll probably be lettin' you out."

"Ironic timing," Tofu noted with a grimace, checking his notepad again.

"Huh?"

"I think Kodachi will be awake soon," the doctor said, turning the clipboard away from Ranma's view. "We've switched her medication away from morphine, since she didn't like it. She'll be in more pain, but also more lucid." He frowned at that. "Though, she seemed remarkably alert for someone under such heavy sedation."

"Practice makes perfect," Ranma mumbled. "I guess we should see if she's up." He helped Shampoo to her feet, but she insisted on shambling through to the hall on her own before accepting any other assistance. "Don't you want me to help?" he asked, frowning.

"Yes," she said, wincing before his arm slipped around her back and she leaned against him heavily, catching her breath. "But not want to make Ukyou feel bad to see you walk away with me while she stuck in bed."

"Oh," he said quietly. "I didn't think of that."

"That because you is stupid about girls," she noted.

"Hey!" he protested. "That ain't true!"

"If it not true, you marry me by now."

Tofu snickered, leading the way to Kodachi's room.

Ranma grimaced, shaking his head. "You gonna want to walk in here by yourself, too?"

"Aire-" She coughed, grimacing. "I get better soon and you challenge again, yes?"

"Uh ... yeah," he said, nodding slowly. "That's what I said."

"Good. Ranma want Shampoo to get along with Ukyou and Kodachi? Then Shampoo try not to make them jealous."

"Hey," he said weakly, "don't go gettin' the wrong idea!"

"What wrong idea?" she asked. "You promise to challenge Shampoo to..." She trailed off, blinking. "You plan to throw fight?"

"Huh," he said, frowning. "You know, I didn't think of that. Nah, I don't throw fights -- you know that."

"Is so," she said, returning his frown. "But you is just planning to defeat Shampoo, and then not marry, like before?"

"W...well, I dunno," he said uncertainly. "I mean, I got other obligations, you know. There's Ucchan, and I gotta take care of Kodachi, too."

"And she may need months of assistance before she fully recovers," Tofu warned.

Shampoo sighed at that. "Joketsuzoku law says that..." She trailed off with a grimace, shaking her head and momentarily stopping, leaning against Ranma even more heavily, and pulling him closer with her unbroken arm. "Okay. For you, I not complain."

"Thanks," Ranma said, leaning far enough away to show her a warm smile before pulling her close again. When he looked up, he realized he recognized the room number before him. "Hey, this is Kodachi's room. You want me to get you a, uh, chair or something?"

"Humph," she snorted, rolling her eyes. "Shampoo is stronger than that!"

He nodded, letting her step away from him as Tofu opened the door to the room. Kodachi lay within, still in the traction cast from before. She, too, was watching television, though her eyes immediately went to the doorway.

"Ranma-sama," she greeted neutrally, raising an eyebrow at Shampoo.

After a moment of hesitation, Ranma moved to the foot of the bed; the immobilized girl could turn her eyes but not move her head, and he reasoned she would see him more easily there. "Kodachi," he said back, offering a weak smile. "I'm, uh, just checkin' in on you. Tofu says they got you on new medicine?"

"Indeed," she said, blinking. "I do not yet know what they have given me; the effects are fascinating, if they don't really do anything to relieve the tedium."

"Aiyah," Shampoo groaned, working her way to the chair beside Kodachi's bed and sinking into it with a wince. "Shampoo is sorry that this happened."

"Ah," Kodachi said, frowning slightly. "Shampoo. I hadn't realized you were here until I saw you at the doorway."

There was a moment of awkward silence before Ranma offered, "Akane managed to pick a fight with all three of ya on the same day." He shook his head and turned to look out the window.

Tofu unobtrusively wheeled the chair Shampoo had chosen closer to Ranma, putting the Chinese girl into Kodachi's field of vision.

The immobilized girl winced. "Well, aren't you a mess," she observed.

Shampoo frowned, her right hand rising to the tape across her nose. "I is," she agreed with a sigh, glancing at Ranma. "Maybe not worst mess, though."

"You may have a point," Kodachi mused.

Ranma glanced back to the two girls. "I think you got the worst of it, Kodachi," he said apologetically. "I'm gonna do what I can to help."

"It will be some time before they even allow me the freedom of my arms," she said with disgust, rolling her eyes at the television, which was showing news reports. The closed captioning had been turned on, and the sound was off. "I eagerly await the day I can emerge from this confining chrysalis and walk at your side on our date."

Shampoo blinked at this, eyeing Ranma thoughtfully.

"That'd, uh, be nice," he said uneasily. "I'd just be glad to see you run again. You don't..." He bowed his head. "You don't belong in a place like this."

"How queer," Kodachi mused. "So many have voiced the opinion that I should be confined and on medication in a hospital. It warms me to know that you are not one of them."

He chuckled at that, shaking his head. "I don't know if I got that," he admitted. "But nah, you ain't as crazy as some people I seen. Anyway, I gotta take Shampoo back to her place. I'm comin' back tomorrow to check in on you and Ucchan though."

"Oh?" Kodachi asked, smiling softly. "I have made arrangements in the way of reparation to Tendo Akane."

"What's that?" Ranma asked suspiciously.

"She shall be attending St. Hebereke's, now," she offered. "A private school will allow her to avoid the reputation her expulsion will have garnered her."

"Oh," he said with a frown. "That's awful nice of you, considering what she did."

"Perhaps," she said neutrally. "When I am freed from this place, I will attend Furinkan with you and my brother."

"Huh," Ranma mused, rubbing his chin. "Was this Kuno... Er... Was this Tatewaki's idea?"

"Yes," she said, blinking. "I was indifferent, and my father opposed this choice. When they asked me to decide, I proposed a compromise -- so long as you keep your promise to help me recover, Tendo Akane's tuition will be paid, and no charges will be filed."

He scratched the back of his head with a frown. "Huh."

"My father's stipulation," she said apologetically. "I have absolute faith in you, Ranma-sama."

"Ranma very honorable," Shampoo agreed. "Now Tendo girl is sent away, is no trouble to us? Shampoo glad. Thank ribbon-g... Er." She blushed, though with her still-healing black eyes, the effect was disconcerting. "Shampoo says thank you to Kodachi."

"This arrangement is not without its flaws," Kodachi said, a strain of deep regret entering her voice. "It seems that my father is ... displeased ... with you, Ranma-sama. I am sorry for that -- he now blames you for..." Her mobile hand gestured weakly, indicating the traction frame she had been strapped into.

"I think I'm gonna skip classes and catch up on sleep tomorrow," Ranma groaned, rubbing at his temples. "Man. I bet they're really gonna give me nasty homework assignments now."

"This is my fault," Kodachi said with a frown. "Would you be willing to bring your assignments here when you visit? I am more than willing to offer what assistance I can."

"Ukyou's going to need to have her assignments brought in as well," Tofu said with a nod. "You should see if the school will let you take them to her. In the meantime, if you're not opposed to it, I can see about getting you and Ukyou a room together, Kuno-san."

"I suppose," Kodachi said neutrally. Then she paused, glancing towards the door. Tofu blinked and shut it without further prompting. "I will not oppose this, though I do not know how much she would welcome it."

"I think she'll be okay with it," Ranma said, shrugging. "You're the one who called an ambulance for her, right?"

"Yes," Kodachi admitted. "I was concerned. And am gratified that she is here, and being taken care of, instead of..." She grimaced. "I woke in the hospital. I remember fighting Akane, and then being flung through something rather solid before it became very cold and dark."

"Well ... I'm not going to school tomorrow, so if you're nervous, I can ask her about it then," Ranma offered. "I'm sure she won't mind."

"I would be gratified for that, too," Kodachi murmured. "Ah, this medication is rather potent. I think I shall sleep for a time, Ranma-sama. I hope ... to dream ... of you." Heaving a heavy sigh, the deepest breath Ranma had seen her take since her internment, her eyes drifted shut.

Ranma glanced warily at the machine monitoring her heart, but couldn't make sense of it, other than the fact that it seemed to be normal. "She's fine," Tofu assured him. "I think she's straining herself to be as aware and focused as she is when you're around, Ranma."

"Oh," the boy said quietly. "Okay. Um ... Shampoo, are you ready to go?"

"Yes," she replied just as quietly, worried about waking Kodachi.

"Okay," he said again, sweeping her carefully out of her chair and cradling her to his chest, her broken arm away from him so she could position it comfortably across her body.

Shampoo blushed faintly, but said nothing until they were in the hall and Tofu had quietly shut the door behind them again. "You carry Shampoo all the way to Neko-Hanten?" she murmured.

He nodded, glancing at Tofu for support. The doctor smirked and shook his head. "Make sure you get some rest," he commanded. "We'll discuss shiatsu further tomorrow. I'll be heading out to meet someone, then I'll be spending the majority of my time here to keep an eye on Kodachi and Ukyou."

"Thanks, Sensei," he sighed. "I guess for now I can focus on Shampoo."

"I don't see why not," Tofu replied with a shrug.

"Thank you, Airen," Shampoo said quietly.

"Alright. Let's go," he murmured, trotting through the halls, careful not to jostle Shampoo as they went.

-2-

Cologne puffed on her pipe contemplatively, looking at the assembled scraps Ranma had collected. She suspected that the entire thing could be rebuilt fairly easily. The most interesting part was the complex seal that Ranma had struck, the one that caused the dougi to be destroyed. It seemed to bear the suit's true magical power, and the cloth was merely that.

Quite likely, placing that seal in another article of clothing would produce a similar garment to the original. More importantly, though, the seal was mentioned in one of her many tomes of lore.

"Son-in-law," she intoned, causing the boy sitting opposite her at the table to flinch. "You've lost blood. Finish your ramen."

"Right," he said, shaking his head and swiftly polishing the bowl off. Shampoo had been taken upstairs and put to bed without any protests. The complaints only began when Cologne pulled Ranma out of her grip. The boy himself was largely flustered, and especially worried about aggravating Shampoo's injuries ... as minor as those were, in comparison. Mousse was enjoying an extended nap in a very small private chamber.

She hadn't actually intended to wallop him with the wok, as much as warn him that he needed to leave Shampoo alone ... but she supposed the message was just as clear, if not clearer, ultimately. "So," he said, glancing at the scraps and the seal. "Does this get Akane out of trouble?"

"Unfortunately, it does not," she said with an apologetic shrug. "In fact, this artifact does not influence the mind at all, save the standard corruption that applies to all who gain too much power too quickly. As I'm sure you recall when I removed the Ultimate Weakness Moxibustion from you."

Ranma winced. "I didn't hurt anyone then," he said. "'Cept Happosai. And it ain't like the old freak didn't have it coming to him. Well, maybe Pops, too, but that was for his boneheaded 'Crouch of the Wild Tiger'."

"You do realize that's the instant I trained you to exceed them, don't you?" she asked, smirking.

"Nah, I... It was... Well, there..." He blinked suddenly. "Okay," he said with a shrug, "I'm gonna have to admit that I didn't."

"Well, that's good," she said. "And you're listening to me, without complaining, protesting, or trying to bargain."

"I figured you were leadin' up to something," he said with another shrug. As an afterthought, he added, "An I'm real tired."

"Yes. This is not a cursed relic, though I imagine you cursed it greatly. It merely benefits very few. I do not think anyone other then Tendo Akane could use it, now, and therefore am going to destroy it."

"Okay," Ranma said with a shrug. "Good riddance."

"Agreed," Cologne mused, puffing on her pipe again. "Now, since you've figured I am ... 'leadin' up to something', I'll tell you what my offer is. Promise me you'll never marry Tendo Akane, and I will compromise my principles enough to say that it was cursed. Before I destroyed it, of course."

He seemed to consider it for a few moments before he shrugged. "Deal."

"My," she murmured. "That was easier than expected. I should have made you promise to marry Shampoo."

He flinched, shaking his head quickly. "I can only spread myself so thin," he protested. "Akane's left a lot of stuff for me to take care of, and now I'm owing you and Shampoo, Ucchan, and the Kuno family a bunch. If I thought that it'd solve things, I guess..." He hesitated, before wincing and admitting, "If I thought it would fix things, I'd agree to that, too -- but then Kodachi and Ucchan would never forgive me."

"I'm glad to see it's not only Akane's wellbeing you're concerned for here," Cologne said, drawing a scroll from her sleeve and laying it flat on the table. She placed the seal from the dougi and all the cloth scraps in a circle that had been inked on the parchment, surrounded by ancient mystic symbols. "One last request from you, Son-in-law. I know that you've given blood for Ukyou and Kodachi ... and now it's time to offer a bit more."

"Huh?"

She indicated a specific symbol on the parchment. "Three drops of blood, Son-in-law. Right here." She produced a sewing needle from the same sleeve that had housed the scroll and offered it towards the pigtailed boy. After a moment of confusion he shrugged, accepting it, pricking his finger, and then letting a trio of drops spatter onto the parchment.

The seal gave an abrupt whining crunch before it collapsed into a tiny brass sphere, the cloth scraps flying into the air and disintegrating into nothing at all.

"That was awesome," Ranma said weakly, grinning. "One thing that can't bother us anymore. I'm feeling sleepy."

"I imagine so," Cologne said, nodding. "Get your rest. Tomorrow, we shall discuss shiatsu and healing herbs. You'll want to help Ukyou ... and Shampoo could benefit from some things, too, of course. To mention nothing of what we might do to aid Kodachi."

"That's real nice of ya," Ranma murmured.

"Oh, I have my motives. We'll discuss those tomorrow, too. Now go take Mousse's bed."

"Gotcha," he mumbled, staggering up the stairs.

"Now I simply have to decide what to do with the boy," she mused.

-3-

Akane's desk was to one side of him, and Ukyou's was to the other.

Both were empty.

Ranma lowered his head to his crossed arms and closed his eyes. After falling asleep in Mousse's room at the Neko-Hanten, he'd slept for a solid twelve hours. The next day had been spent in discussion with Cologne about herbs, shiatsu, and then a run to the hospital to check up on Kodachi and Ukyou.

Ukyou was growing increasingly annoyed with Iron Chef, but complained that Takeshi's Castle didn't come on until later, so there really wasn't anything else to watch; Kodachi was asleep. After that he'd gone back to the Neko-Hanten to wait tables while Shampoo was recovering, and then he'd gone to sleep again. Mousse was still locked away, and his next memory had been an uncomfortable dream involving masks, but he couldn't remember much more than that, and didn't feel very rested afterwards.

Hinako's shrill voice snapped him back to attention: "Saotome!"

"Yeah?" he asked, blinking away the last vestiges of the nap he'd been trying to sink into.

The diminutive teacher stalked between the desks, stopping just before him and glaring ever so slightly up at his face, seated as he was. "The administration is not pleased with your academic performance," she warned.

"Oh," he managed, blinking. "You mean principal Kuno. He's pissed at me 'cause Kodachi got hospitalized?"

"I said no such thing!" Hinako protested, while every eye in the classroom that hadn't already been fixed on him found its way there. "I merely am warning you that your academic performance is substandard, and if you can't bring your grades up by the end of the next month, there's a very real risk you won't graduate."

"Gotcha," he said quietly. "Okay. Can I go back to sleep now?"

Hinako sighed in exasperation and rolled her eyes. "Saotome! That's not getting the point! Your grades will only get better if you study! Sleeping in class is just going to hurt your grades worse."

"Right," he said, blinking again. "I'll stay awake."

"And pass this test," Hinako barked, slapping a sheet of paper on his desk. "Everyone! Pop-quiz!"

-4-

After class had let out, the students broke into drifting groups, the majority of which would wander away to clubs and arcades, among other favored after-school retreats. Hinako watched them warily, wondering what she had done with the test results, and remembering only Hiroshi and Daisuke giving her a large box of chocolates.

It probably wasn't important, she decided.

Ranma rose from his desk and stretched, before marching to her side. "Can I get Ukyou's homework?" he asked her quietly. "I'm going to meet her after school, so I can bring her anything."

"Kuonji," Hinako murmured with a frown. "She missed class today -- is she delinquent?"

"She's in the hospital," Ranma protested indignantly. "Didn't you... Ah, I guess no one would have told you."

"Oh? You put a lot of girls there, Saotome? You really need to learn to be more careful," she said, shaking her head. "What's the world coming to?"

"I didn't put them there!" he snapped. "I'm tryin' to get 'em out! Now can I have Ucchan's assignments or not?"

"If I were you," Hinako murmured, turning to her day-planner and copying the list of assignments out of it, "I'd worry about my own grades more than hers -- she's at least passing. You're not."

"Yeah, yeah," he grumbled. "Like I care. What's the worst that could happen -- I don't have to come here and deal with Kuno anymore? Or his crazy dad?"

"Your approach to academia leaves much to be desired," she said, taking the slip of paper with the assignments and waving it before Ranma's nose, pulling it out of his reach when he moved to take it. "Seriously, Saotome. If your grades don't go up, you'll never go to college. Don't you want to have a future? Don't you have a plan?"

"Where did this come from all the sudden?" Ranma protested. "Last week no one said nothing, and now it's the end of the world 'cause my grades are slipping?"

"Well, the real world is a strange and sometimes unfriendly place," she said, making sure that none of the other students were too close to overhear. "It's not my decision. I'd just punish you for Kodachi being hospitalized, but the principal says his daughter asked him not to. So now he's just making you follow the rules."

"Well school don't matter to me, I'm gonna inherit--" He cut himself off with a choking noise, and then forced a chuckle. "Oh yeah," he said very quietly. "W...well..." He stared blankly at the paper. "Um. I guess ... I don't really got a plan. Besides takin' care of the girls that ... that ended up in the hospital."

"So you've got a goal," Hinako said, smiling. "I'm glad! A goal is the first step towards pulling yourself from the pit of delinquency. Now, what are you going to do to achieve your goal?"

"W...well," Ranma began slowly, raising his head and staring at the ceiling, "Cologne is teachin' me about all kinds of herbs to help people heal better. Shiatsu, too. I guess ... I should ask Tofu-sensei how he did it, and get some advice to him."

"Okay," Hinako said agreeably. "That's one step. Your second step will be to actually do your homework, for the first time since I've come to this school. If you don't have a good education, you won't have a good career."

His face colored, and Ranma nodded uneasily. "Yeah, okay. I'll do that too. Now can I have Ucchan's homework?"

She shrugged, handing him the slip of paper. He stared at it for a moment, then nodded decisively and marched out into the hallway.

-5-

Akane eyed the box in front of her. Another outfit -- just for her. This one was dark, the colors of St. Hebereke. "I guess no one will get mad at me for wearing this," she muttered, putting the lid back on the box and setting it to one side.

Kasumi sat at the table knitting a scarf, and glanced up at Akane briefly to offer a sympathetic smile.

Turning to look out the back door, Akane couldn't help but wonder what Nabiki was up to. She was still at Furinkan ... with Ranma. Her eyes closed as the wind shifted, bearing the sounds of the argument going on in the dojo.

"...irresponsible! I taught you better than that, Soun, and I'm very upset! You had the savvy to lock me away for ten years, but you can't keep your own flesh-and-blood in line?" Happosai, obviously.

"It's not my fault, Master! It was the dougi! Please be merciful to me!" Her spineless father, she thought, sighing.

"Truthfully, Master, it was the dougi -- ask Cologne if you don't believe us! Ranma destroyed it!" Akane flinched at that. Did Ranma somehow still think that it was the suit, and not her that had done...

She groaned, rubbing at her eyes. What she had done was a mistake, she realized. Damn Dr. Chrono for giving her such terrible advice! She should have just destroyed the dougi herself! "It's not like Ranma was innocent, either," she muttered.

"Pardon, Akane?" Kasumi asked, her knitting needles clacking together loudly for a moment before she set them on the table.

"Ranma wanted the dougi," Akane clarified. "He tried to get it for himself. And then he got jealous."

"And you put three girls in the hospital," Kasumi returned, her needles resuming motion. "There are lines that should not be crossed, Akane-chan."

"I know," Akane replied, closing her eyes again at the sick, roiling sensation in her stomach. She hadn't eaten since Ranma had kicked her, just drinking tea and shuffling the food on her plates around at mealtimes. "But I just think ... if I could ... could somehow go back in time even two days, I could stop myself. I could ... could..."

"What would a warning change?"

Her eyes opened and she grimaced. "It just made things worse, didn't it?" she sighed. "I'm supposed to start going to class tomorrow. I wonder what St. Hebereke's is like."

"No boys, for one thing," Nabiki replied, stepping through the doorway and kicking her shoes off. "For another, I personally think their uniforms are nicer. How are you doing, Akane?"

"Fine," she replied reflexively, turning to look at the box with her folded uniform in it. "I guess."

"Don't be so down," Nabiki chastised. "Yeah, you made a mistake, and yeah, Ranma's really mad right now. But it's not like you really wanted to marry him, did you?"

"Of course I did!" Akane yelled, before blushing darkly and covering her face. "Not that it matters now."

"I guess not," Nabiki said quietly, a comforting hand patting Akane on the shoulder. "But let me make one thing clear to you either way. It's easy to regret. It's harder to change. So stop regretting, and start improving."

"That's easy to say," Akane grumbled, her hands falling into her lap. "But where am I supposed to begin?"

"I think the first step is to understand who and where you are," Kasumi suggested, setting her knitting aside suddenly and turning to look at her youngest sister. "Then you decide who and where you want to be."

Akane sighed and rubbed at her eyes. "I hate screwing up," she mumbled.

"Then you'd better get cracking on figuring things out," Nabiki advised.

"Okay, okay... I'll be in my room thinking." Climbing to her feet, she paused to collect her new uniform, then headed towards the stairs, glad that the conversation from the dojo wasn't carrying anymore.

-6-

The nurses had learned to recognize Ranma on sight, and merely nodded when he waved to them on his way into the hospital. Shampoo was walking next to him, though they both kept their speeds restrained. Later, she would work in the kitchen, and he would wait tables alongside Mousse.

The myopic boy had been very upset to find that Ranma had already dealt with Shampoo's attacker. He wasn't exactly pleased to see Ranma around, either, and after a few dozen swiftly settled combats, he backed off. Neither were in a mood to be gentle, but it was obvious to both that Ranma was the superior martial artist.

Eventually, of course, Mousse was going to demand to at least know who was responsible for Shampoo's injuries -- he was kept from doing so by his anger at Ranma for the moment. Cologne's offer to send the Chinese boy back to his homeland was seeming better by the moment.

"Yo," he said softly, peeking into the room that Kodachi and Ukyou now shared. Both were watching a cooking show. Shampoo peeked over his shoulder and waved.

"Ranma-sama," Kodachi murmured, eyes flickering from the television to him. "I'm overjoyed that you came again."

"Heya, Ranchan! How you doing?" Ukyou seconded, grinning impishly from her bed. "And heya, Shampoo."

"Oh," he said, glancing behind him through the doorway, and spotting Tofu walking towards him. "Ah, good." Turning back to the girls, he smirked and said, "I've got good news and bad news."

"Shall we guess?" Kodachi asked, rolling her eyes towards Ukyou.

"I'm banking on homework for the bad news," Ukyou said with a nod. "Homework and more homework."

"Well, that's hardly a concern for me," Kodachi replied.

"Wrong!" Ranma exclaimed, shaking his head. "I got homework for both of you. Your dad's the principal, so he can get it for you anytime."

"Oh, lovely," Kodachi said flatly. Smiling, and putting more cheer in her voice, she asked, "Is the good news that we're having a 'family planning' lesson?"

Ranma momentarily lost his composure and stared at the Kuno girl with wild eyes before stammering, "N...no!" Ukyou clutched at her side and struggled to constrain her amusement to a series of giggles. Shampoo smirked and shoved him through the doorway, leaving him to stumble to the foot of Kodachi's bed.

Tofu found his way through the door before Ranma recovered his balance enough to try and shoot Shampoo a scowl. The attempt was marred by a grin he couldn't quite force down; all three girls were looking healthier already. Clearing his throat, he explained, "I've got some herbs from Cologne. Good stuff -- so ... let's see." He unslung the pack from his back and set it on the floor, rifling through the contents.

"Ah," Tofu murmured, peering over Ranma's shoulders. "This is indeed good stuff. I'll set up a teakettle."

Ranma nodded, pulling a handful of paper-wrapped herb bundles out and setting them on a tray. Schoolbooks and a handwritten list of assignments followed. "So," he said, as Tofu began sorting through the herbs, "I've got something special here for you, Ucchan, but I, uh, gotta ask you for a favor, too." He produced a small clay jar of salve from the pack and explained, "This'll keep that wound from scarring."

"I show Airen how to use," Shampoo volunteered. "Test to make sure is good." She nodded and offered Ukyou a smile, taking short steps until she was standing at Ranma's side. Tofu unobtrusively slid a chair near her.

"O...oh?" Ukyou murmured, blushing faintly. "That's... Thank you, Ranchan. Thank you too, Shampoo. But what's this favor?"

"Yeah, thank her and Cologne, they showed me how to make this stuff," he said dismissively. "It ain't like this is martial arts. Anyway, the, uh, favor I gotta ask is ... um..." He trailed off swallowing nervously. "W...well, I'm kinda not doin' so great in class, but Hinako slipped that you're gettin' good grades, so I wanted to ask you for help studying."

Shampoo snickered, sinking to sit and looking at Ranma through hooded eyes. Ukyou giggled along with Kodachi, while Tofu looked politely away to hide a grin. "Sure thing," Ukyou said, when Kodachi trailed off to catch her breath. "I bet Kodachi probably gets good grades, too; why don't we study together? She's got the same class as us, right?"

"Uh... Yes," Ranma said, nodding. "She's gonna get, um, Akane's old seat."

"Oh, how nice," Kodachi murmured. "Now I certainly have something to look forward to."

"And that's where these herbs come in," Tofu said, sorting through them. "Now, the healing process can't be rushed, but it can be aided, and I honestly feel it's safe to say that with these, and proper physical therapy, both of you will be restored fully; I know the other doctors have been reluctant to address that."

Ranma shifted his shoulders at the relief in both Ukyou and Kodachi's eyes at that. "I have a plan if that doesn't work out," he said very quietly.

"How long will it take?" Kodachi asked immediately. "A year?"

"Possibly less," Tofu said, shrugging. "You're something of a fast healer, judging by the abrasions; once you've recovered from the surgery to replace your missing vertebrae, I'm going to say it'll be about two weeks before you can be released from traction. That's going to be probably five weeks from now at the soonest."

"Five weeks," the girl mumbled, her brows knitting together as her eyes seemed to momentarily focus inward. "That's not so terrible. I imagine it shall take much longer before I can actually walk?"

"Ah ... most likely yes," Tofu admitted. "I suspect another three or four weeks, and you will probably require assistance for a month at least."

"Assistance?" Ranma asked, frowning. "I can help, right?"

"Of course," Tofu assured him. "But I meant with a walker, initially, and then probably a cane."

Kodachi made a face at that and Ranma said, "Well, I'll be there to help you out, too, Kodachi."

The girl's expression relaxed. "Thank you, Ranma-sama," she murmured.

"Shampoo help too!" She glanced between Ukyou and Kodachi, explaining, "Great-Grandmother is teaching Airen many healing herbs and shiatsu techniques. When Shampoo first came to Japan, she worked as Tofu-sensei's nurse. Now, she will be Ranma's!"

Ranma couldn't help but twitch slightly. "What?" he asked in confusion. "Now you're my nurse? Is this some weird Chinese village law?"

The girl scowled for a moment, then adopted an aloof expression. "Maybe," she said in a neutral tone.

"Oh, if you're interested in medicine, Ranma, there's quite a lot we could discuss, as well. I know all about shiatsu, acupressure, moxibustion..." Tofu nodded, adjusting his spectacles. "In fact, now that ... one of my associates has retired, the community might need another good doctor around."

"I kinda been thinkin' about that," Ranma admitted.

"This is why you want good grades?" Ukyou asked from her bed. "Well, I just hope I'm good enough to help you study!"

"Ooh," Kodachi cooed. "Ranma-sensei... I quite like the sound of that."

"Er, now hold on just a sec," he protested, feeling suddenly very nervous at the focus of all three girl's gazes.  
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	5. Phase 5

Unfair Warning: Phase Five

A metafiction by Brian Randall

Disclaimer: Original source is Ranma 1/2, which is the property and creation of Rumiko Takahashi. Her paints, my easel, and the brush is borrowed without permission (hence this disclaimer) from Kenko and Chris Jones, as this metafic is inspired by 'Fair Warning' and 'The Tomboy Solution'.

Note: Fans of the above fics will probably not enjoy the effects of this one. Consider yourselves warned. Divergence. You'll know it when you see it.  
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-0-

After class, Ranma took a break from study by waiting tables in Shampoo's stead. The restaurant's kitchen wasn't running at full capacity at night, on account of various herbal concoctions that Cologne was showing him how to brew. Also, Ranma and Shampoo planned on spending their evenings in the hospital with Ukyou and Kodachi, which meant that only Mousse was left to make deliveries.

At least, this is what Nabiki had told Akane. She didn't know if it was the truth; merely that after school she would meet with Genma, Soun, and Happosai, and then they would walk to the Neko-Hanten.

There, she would apologize to Shampoo, and tell everyone there that she knew she wasn't a real martial artist.

She grumbled quietly as she reached an intersection, spotting Genma and her father standing next to one another, conversing in low tones. Happosai perched atop a nearby phone-box, idly puffing on his pipe, though all three men turned to look at her when she drew to a halt a few paces away.

"Now," the oldest said, coughing quietly and climbing to his feet before planting fists on his hips and peering down at her. "You know what this is all about, right, Akane-chan?"

"I messed up," she said dully. "Now I have to say I'm sorry."

"Ah ... but a martial artist is about spirit as well as form," Happosai warned with a waggle of his pipe. "You know what that means, right?"

"I have to mean it?" Akane asked, narrowing her eyes. "That's not a problem. I am sorry."

"Good enough," he said with a shrug. "Let's go, then."

Akane nodded, her father and Ranma's falling into step behind her, Happosai just behind them. Their procession made it to the Neko-Hanten shortly, and Akane let herself inside. Shampoo was seated at the central table, Cologne standing atop it a few steps away, eyeing Akane dourly.

The girl flinched to see Ranma in the back of the room, arms crossed over his chest, face down. His eyes were hidden behind his bangs, and Akane wondered if he was even watching her. She took a few steps forward, while the older men flanked her.

"Hello," she said weakly, pulling her eyes from her one-time fiancé, and focusing on the Chinese girl. Her nose was still discolored from the blow that had been landed there, but the bruises about her face had faded. Akane shifted her shoulders uncomfortably, remembering that it was she'd inflicted the damage in the first place. "Um... I came to say that I'm sorry," she managed, struggling to keep her voice from hitching. If she hadn't used the suit ... if she'd never challenged Shampoo... If only Ranma wasn't there to witness it all. "I'm sorry about what I did."

"Is good," Shampoo said after a moment, her own voice thick with some emotion that Akane couldn't puzzle out. "I is sorry, too. But is not you, yes? Is stupid suit."

"Y...yes," Akane agreed, nodding and staring at the floor, hands clasping together below her chest as she took a deep breath. "It was the suit. Without that, I ... couldn't have-"

She cut off, swallowing nervously, and forcing herself to look at Ranma. He was standing up straight, now, staring levelly at her, though for a moment he seemed about to turn away. She suddenly realized that as sorry as she was, she didn't care if Shampoo forgave her. She'd apologize, of course, and she'd mean it. But the one person she really wanted forgiveness from was out of her reach.

She jerked her gaze away; too late. Tears had formed in her eyes, and her breath was coming in short, gasping sobs. She had to finish her apology, because she wouldn't be given a second chance. But before she completely collapsed, she had to leave. "I c-couldn't have d-done it without the s-s-stupid suit," she choked out. "I'm so..." A valiant moment of struggle, where she imagined she could hear Ranma whispering her name, and then she fell to her knees, hands pressing into her face. "I'm sorry!" she bawled, shuddering when someone awkwardly embraced her, an arm going about her shoulders.

"Is okay," her comforter told her with a sigh. "Was accident that not happen again."

Akane managed a sniffle and pulled away, blinking the tears from her eyes long enough to see that Shampoo had sunk to the floor at her side, offering her a sympathetic smile. "I'm not a martial artist," she said quietly. "Not a real one. I'm just... Just..."

"Shampoo understands," she said briskly. "You not do it again, and is no problem. Will forgive this."

Akane nodded doubtfully, wiping the tears from her eyes. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I really am. Just ... try and make him happy, like I didn't."

The Chinese girl blinked at that, looking at her askance. "Will try," Shampoo whispered back. "You maybe learn real martial arts from old panda someday -- you has potential. But not attack Joketsuzoku womens again. Okay?"

"O...okay."

"Goodbye," Shampoo said with a shrug, climbing to her feet, then offering Akane a hand up.

The girls spent a moment staring at one another wordlessly before Akane bowed her head and echoed, "Goodbye." Then she turned around and walked away, wondering if Ranma was watching her leave, uncaring of the tears streaking down her face.

-1-

Once the Tendo girl had gone, Shampoo's great-grandmother had closed down the restaurant. Mousse had been knocked out again -- the risk of him being on an errand and coming back in time to hear who had assaulted Shampoo was too great. Shampoo didn't especially want word of the event to get back to her village anyway. It was embarrassing enough being thrashed so thoroughly. Even more to admit that it wasn't by a warrior.

Shampoo wasn't certain that Ranma understood what that meant ... but seeing how much pain he was already in, she couldn't really fault him. She wondered if a wounded heart hurt as much as being beaten did, but realized she already knew the answer to that. It hurt to hear from her great grandmother that Ranma loved Akane. Or had. But it also gave her hope.

"Where is Airen?" she asked her great grandmother as the elderly woman finished locking the front door. "He leave when Akane go?"

"Yes," the wizened one agreed. "I believe he's on the roof."

"Shampoo go talk to him."

"Certainly. Do be careful, though."

"Shampoo will be careful."

"Shampoo... Wait."

She paused on her way to the back door and cocked her head to one side curiously. "Yes?"

The tiny figure of her great grandmother was staring at the floor, staff in hand, brow furrowed in concern. "Listen. I have said that in many ways this was an opportunity. And it is; you get to exchange pride for success, perhaps. Sometimes losing is winning."

She nodded doubtfully. "So Shampoo maybe win anyway?"

"In a sense," Cologne said cautiously. "But don't get overconfident. Don't push too much."

"What Shampoo do, then?" she asked, sighing. "Want to talk to Airen. Maybe make him smile and feel better again."

"Well, that's quite fine. But don't try and make him promise to anything more than he already has. You know..." Cologne hesitated, then finally raised her head. Shampoo was surprised to see sorrow in the woman's eyes. "I need you to realize that even if Son-in-law does keep his promise and challenge you -- which I expect he will -- he isn't under any obligation of his own laws to actually marry you. I want you to keep that in mind."

Shampoo stared, frowning. What did that mean? If Cologne wanted to explain it better than that, she would. If she hadn't, she obviously wanted Shampoo to figure it out herself. "So," she said slowly, "Shampoo needs to plan?"

"That will be a part of it," Cologne allowed, smiling very faintly. "You know me well enough, so I'll give you a tiny clue. Ukyou or Kodachi could tell you that a Japanese girl would say 'I', and not call their own name."

Shampoo nodded thoughtfully. "I see," she said carefully. "Will try to remember."

"Good, very good. Now don't stay up too late. Sleep is the best medicine. I'll tend to Mousse. Ask Son-in-law to make some tea for you before you go to bed. I'll leave a pallet for him in the living room."

With that, the old woman bounded away, none of the concern of a minute ago visible in her demeanor. Shampoo stared at the stairway for a moment, then gave a tiny sight. "Always must be so complicated," she muttered. Well, she knew one thing; she'd gotten beaten, lost a fight, had to admit she was beaten by someone who wasn't even a martial artist, and she was damned if she wasn't going to get at least a little satisfaction out of the entire ordeal.

Though, she would be mindful of her great-grandmother's warning, of course. After stepping into the alley on the side of the restaurant, one leap took her to the flat roof. The sun had set, and she almost tripped over him before she realized where Ranma was. He was sitting just behind the sign at the front of the building, peering up at the stars.

"Hello," she said softly, sinking to sit cross-legged at his side.

"Hey," he said back just as quietly. "Um. You sure you should be up here?"

"Broken arm doesn't mean ... I can't jump," she retorted, managing to remember not to use her own name. She wondered if he would notice.

He turned to look at her, slight surprise registering. "Yeah," he agreed, looking away again. "That's true. Sorry. Just thinking." Before she could ask, he added, "You don't want to know what about. It's not important."

"I listen to you anyway," she said, realizing she'd sat on the wrong side of him; the arm in a cast was useless for reaching around and giving him a comforting hug. Moving would be too obvious. "When I say I forgive, truly mean it. Not just say."

"Yeah?" he said, smiling weakly at her. "I'm glad. Thanks, Shampoo. If... Well. I was just thinking about Akane though."

"Thinking what?" Shampoo asked, feeling a knot of fear in her stomach. He'd already said he wouldn't go back to her. He couldn't change his mind on that, could he? Would he?

"I was thinking that it'd be nice, some day, if she really did learn what being a martial artist was about," he answered quietly. "And ... even after all she done ... I hate seein' girls cry." A moment later, so softly that Shampoo had to hold her breath to hear, he added, "'Specially her."

Shampoo closed her eyes, nodding to herself. It was true, she had to admit. He wasn't upset about Akane hurting her; he was upset about what Akane had done to all of them. And she'd gotten off lightly, when she thought about it. Now how did he feel? Like he was being crushed with obligations?

That was what her great grandmother had warned her about. And in the heart of everything, Ranma was stuck trying to take care of her, both the other girls, and was working himself harder at both school and training. If that weren't enough, his father was watching over Akane in case Mousse figured things out, so he was doubly alone.

It hurt to make the admission that he didn't see her as someone who could give him some support, but in a moment of clarity, she understood that she still had the power to change that. She could become more than just an obligation. Offering to be his nurse was a cute way to stay by his side. Trying to be his wife too aggressively would just make things more difficult with the other girls, trouble she'd learned he didn't handle well.

But...

She smiled suddenly, and leaned shifted her position, turning her back to him and leaning across his side. Hooking her good arm around his neck and scooting across the roof a bit, she was able to pull herself into his lap with only minimal protesting. "Thank you," she said earnestly, wishing she could seize the moment to kiss him, but knowing he didn't want that. Not yet, at least.

He looked at her in alarm, but there was still compassion there. Maybe not love ... but in time... She sighed quietly, and leaned against him, pressing her head to his chest and listening to his strong heartbeat. "You work very hard to make people happy," she said quietly. "But remember, make self happy too, or is no reason. I think that Ranma is my best friend. Would be sad to see him suffer. And as long as I has you as this much ... is okay. I not cry."

Hesitantly, he placed an arm across her back, pulling her close in a gentle hug. His other hand rose and traced across her cast. "I'm not the only one," he admitted. "I know it can't be easy for you to put up with this. Asking you to forgive her was kind of unreasonable, wasn't it?"

Shampoo sighed again. "Not so much. I not think that Akane better off dead. Cannot learn, then."

"Yeah?" Ranma asked. "You wouldn't..." He hesitated. "Ah, never mind."

"I think about it," Shampoo admitted, knowing Ranma's unasked question. "But ... not think she can go through with it. Could not... Could not kill you when think you were a girl." She bowed her head and looked out over the city, shifting slightly away. "I is too weak."

She felt a surge of pleasant warmth spread from her heart when he hugged her back to himself. "That's not being weak at all."

She looked up, pleased, and was surprised again to see unshed tears in his eyes. "What is wrong?" she asked worriedly.

"Nothin'," he said releasing her to rub his face with the back of his sleeve. "Nothin' at all."

"You tell truth now," she said insistently. "We is friends, yes? Friends share things."

"Okay," he said hesitantly. "Um. Remember how I said that the problem with me an' Akane was that she wasn't who I thought she was? And ... maybe I'm not who she thought I was, too, now that I think about it. But I'm startin' to see that you're not who I thought you were, either."

She stiffened suddenly, but he shook his head.

"It's not a bad thing," he said quickly. "I thought... Um. I thought kinda bad things. And I'm startin' to think they weren't the truth. I'm ... liking the truth a lot better, I guess."

Shampoo heaved a sigh of relief. The day had been too full of emotional turmoil, and she knew she had to get out of Ranma's lap, as much as she was enjoying his embrace. There were limits, after all, and she wanted to heed her great grandmother's advice about not pushing him too far.

"I is glad," she said, smiling brightly at him, not surprised when her vision blurred with tears of her own. "I go to bed now. You not stay up too late." She paused, remembering suddenly, and added, "Great grandmother say you make tea?"

He released her, offering his shoulder to use as a handhold to climb to her feet. She bent down and planted a kiss on his cheek before he could follow. But before she made the edge of the roof, he swept her into his arms and leapt down to the alley.

"Ah," she managed, as Ranma carefully opened the door, peeking to make sure no one was nearby. He set her on her feet just inside. "Thank you, Air... Ah, Ranma."

"You can call me that," he said quietly, readying the teapot on the stove. "I mean... Cologne told me it didn't really mean husband. Right?"

Shampoo felt a slight blush form on her cheeks. The real meaning of the word was closer to 'lover'. "Is true," she admitted. "You not mind?"

"Nah. Not from you. It means real good friends, Cologne said. And I like to think that we're at least that, you know? She said she wanted that, too."

Shampoo couldn't help but giggle at that. "Okay. Thank you, Airen. Was nice to talk to you." And it was, she realized. She just wished she'd tried before Akane had attacked her.

"It was real nice talkin' to you too," he said, smiling back at her. "Um ... well. We should get some sleep. Lots of stuff to do tomorrow, with makin' sure that Kodachi and Ucchan are okay too, you know."

She nodded at him. "Is so," she said quietly, watching him until the tea was prepared. After she drank it with a small dollop of honey, she began to feel sleepy. "Good night, Airen," she murmured, climbing the stairs.

She realized she had no idea when he moved to her side, one arm about her waist as he helped her to her bed. She could only remember looking up at him as he whispered back, "G'night, Shampoo."

-2-

Laying on the futon that Cologne had left him in the living room, Ranma stared at the ceiling. Shampoo was up there, and it was strange to think of how pleasant it had been to spend time with her. As brief as it was, when he stopped to consider it. But he didn't have to worry about upsetting Akane now, and Shampoo hadn't tried anything that he thought would get him in trouble with Ukyou or Kodachi...

Though, when he mulled it over, none of them had a claim on him beyond his own word, anymore. Then again, neither did Akane, and she actually had less.

He turned to one side, unable to sleep. Though, he realized that wherever he stayed, his path would rarely cross with Akane's anyway. His father had brought both of them to Nerima just to meet her and her sisters, and hopefully for Ranma to marry one of them. But that was gone, dissolved forever in a fit of temper.

He couldn't help but remember the times that Akane had tried to claim that their engagement was broken before. And then when she tried to support it... He sighed, shaking his head. "Tofu says that learnin' from your mistakes is important. Maybe I should learn from hers," he muttered to himself.

Certainly, as important as it was that he took care of all three of the girls, he couldn't afford to try too hard and ruin it all. "A doctor," he muttered. A real doctor wouldn't need to try too hard, but Ranma knew that he was a far cry from that.

At least Tofu demonstrated that being a doctor didn't mean he had to give up martial arts, and in many ways, actually went hand-in-hand with it. But it was a vastly different path than the one he had thought he would walk. Still, if he couldn't have a dojo, he might have a clinic...

He rolled onto his other side, considering. Kodachi and Ukyou had seemed to like the idea. Shampoo had already labeled herself as his nurse and assistant. And of course, he was learning from Cologne and Tofu. Maybe that wouldn't be such a bad idea after all.

"Medicine," he murmured, wondering if he could bring up his grades enough to get into a decent college. Sure he could, he decided. It was just another kind of training trip, even if it was one where he wouldn't leave town much.

Satisfied that he had a direction, he yawned, rolling onto his back once more, and allowing his eyes to slowly shut as he drifted off to sleep.

-3-

Initially, Ukyou had accepted the offer to share a room with Kodachi out of a feeling of gratitude for the girl. After all, when Akane had left her in the field, the Kuno girl had called the emergency services that brought her to the hospital.

After a while, when Kodachi was awake enough to talk, Ukyou had found the other girl to be surprisingly interesting. She was well educated, and while occasionally she seemed out-of-touch with reality, that could be excused by the medication sedating her. In fact, if it weren't for the fact that both of them wanted Ranma, Ukyou could see her as a friend.

Admittedly, Ukyou wondered if that could really work with herself as a relatively lowly business owner, and Kodachi as a wealthy heiress. But there were enough common interests to discuss that she felt it was at least worth trying. And if her Ranchan was going to spend weeks or months tending to Kodachi's recovery, she was damned if she was just going to leave them alone.

Their discussions had largely centered around cooking, since that was a comfortable common ground. Martial arts were another shared point of interest. Ranma, of course, was of supreme interest to both of them, but they both shied away from that topic. It was a delicate issue either way.

Of course, due to the severity of her wounds, Kodachi spent an awful lot of time sleeping. And she hated Takeshi's Castle, too, which disappointed Ukyou. But they both watched Pythagoras's Switch, even if it were really a children's show. That was where Ukyou had discovered another interesting connection with Kodachi; neither of them could remember their mothers.

And Kodachi's father, while still alive, was a remote and unlikable figure. Ukyou didn't like him either. Her memories of her own father were clearer, but not much more promising; he'd passed away when Ukyou was young enough that she'd had to spend far more time fending for herself than she would have liked. But they both shared a sense of independence, even if Ukyou privately thought that Kodachi depended heavily on her family's fortune.

"It occurs to me," Kodachi said suddenly, as she sometimes did, launching directly into a rambling conversation, "that you might encounter some hardships with your primary source of income unavailable to you."

"Don't remind me," Ukyou groaned, switching the television off. The only thing on was some Korean drama that she couldn't get into. "I've got good insurance, but my expenses aren't going away, and I'm not making any money." After a pause, she added, "At least I'm pretty sure I remembered to lock up before I went to fight Akane."

"Of course," Kodachi murmured. "Still. Will you be solvent?"

"If I get out in the two weeks they promised," Ukyou said slowly. "Though, I'm going to have to work really hard to get by." She bit her lip. "I'm hoping that Ranchan can help out and, um, waitress for me for a while," she added quietly. "I hate to depend on him like that, but ... I don't know what else to do. Insurance covers medical costs, but not time I can't work 'cause I'm sick or hurt."

"I would have thought that you would be happy to have someone to depend on," Kodachi countered. "After all, hasn't he offered to do all he can to help you?"

"Yeah, but I don't want it to be all work. I mean..." She trailed off with a grimace. "I don't know what to do. Ranchan's gotta come and visit you, too."

"Quite the quandary," Kodachi agreed. "I might be able to help, however."

Ukyou looked at the Kuno girl speculatively. "If it involves giving up Ranchan, I'm not interested," she warned.

"I suspected as much," Kodachi sighed. "Well, then. If it comes down to it, since you are Ranma-sama's friend, I would be willing to give you a small loan. My allowance is not insignificant. I'm certain I could do that much, and as a friend, I wouldn't see the need to charge interest."

"That's awfully generous of you," Ukyou said doubtfully. "But I don't like owing people money. Even friends."

"But you'll accept Ranma-sama's assistance?" Kodachi asked. "What about a compromise, then? Ranma-sama shall be your employee, at least, as you've intimated to me."

"Well, if he's willing," Ukyou agreed. "But I don't know how much of his time I can really expect. Why?"

"You might, if he was willing, shall we say ... rent his services to me?"

Ukyou blinked, surprised. "What? You'll pay me to let Ranchan spend time with you?" Somehow, she wasn't sure she was comfortable with that idea.

"Not him alone," Kodachi said quickly. "You shall have ample reason to come here yourself, won't you? We can form a study group. I can even label the fee a tutoring expense, so it comes from my father."

"I... I like the sound of that," Ukyou said cautiously. "But, really, that's all up to Ranchan, isn't it?"

"As are many things."

Ukyou winced. "We've kind of been dodging that one, haven't we?" she asked quietly.

"We have," Kodachi agreed, flicking her eyes towards Ukyou before contemplating the ceiling. "We seem to be in a very awkward position. I am worried that Ranma-sama's 'nurse' will steal him away while we remain confined here. Or you, when you are released. I admit that I seek in you an ally to make sure he doesn't slip beyond my reach until I am healed."

"Ranchan promised he was going to help you," Ukyou said with a shake of her head. "He's really good about his promises, too."

"That is not my concern. It's more that..." Kodachi hesitated. "It seems to me," she said, her tone becoming more businesslike, "that you, myself, and Shampoo stand upon what Tendo Akane has unexpectedly made into a level playing field. Shampoo has the advantage, being wounded the least. I am at something of a handicap. I sense your reluctance to accept my charity because you see it for what it is; an attempt to cling to Ranma-sama, since there's not else I can do restrained as I am."

Ukyou winced sympathetically. "That's not true," she said, shifting her shoulders and uncomfortable at encouraging someone she thought of as a rival in such a contested field. "I mean ... I may be able to help Ranchan with math, but my marks aren't so great elsewhere. Your history is really good, and you're helping Ranchan study."

"This is of only a small benefit," Kodachi said, sighing softly. "While I am grateful for what I can offer, and ... as shrewish as it makes me sound ... what grasp I have upon Ranma-sama, I fear he will slip away. I have nothing to offer Shampoo in this regard, so I am hoping that we can form an alliance."

"Okay," Ukyou agreed. "I understand that, and that make sense as far as why you're trying to give me money. What kind of alliance are you looking for exactly, though? You've admitted it, so it's pretty much in the open. We're competitors. But I'm a businesswoman. I can understand and respect my competition. We're not enemies, are we? And Shampoo isn't either -- Akane already showed us the cost of that. Right?"

"Agreed," Kodachi said quickly. "Fighting over him obviously doesn't help. Though I suppose if we hospitalize one-another, we can know for certain that we will be in good company afterwards."

"Hah! I'm glad you can keep a good sense of humor about all this. I'm this close," Ukyou held up a hand, fingers a tiny distance apart, "from tearing out my hair."

"Well, thank you," Kodachi said with surprising modesty. "Regardless, however, the alliance I offer is simple. While we all have some claim on Ranma-sama, I feel mine is the weakest. I offer him little, and his loyalty to me is dependant on ... his regard for Tendo Akane's well-being."

Ukyou winced at that reminder. "You really are the worst one off here," she ruminated quietly. "I see where you're coming from. But go on?"

"Well ... I think we should work together to see that Ranma-sama doesn't choose any one of us until we're all fully capable. This is why I hope I can offer you something, which I don't think I can do for Shampoo. She remains the one element that can quickly escape my ... or perhaps our control."

"I get you," Ukyou said quietly. "You want me to make sure that Ranchan doesn't pick her or me until you get a chance, huh?"

"Precisely."

"But ... if I say I'm willing to work with you on this, then once I get out, you realize that you'll be the one who spends the most time with him, right? I'll probably be better in about two months, according to Tofu-sensei. Then I won't need a cane, and you'll be all Ranchan's. If I haven't made a move by then, he could be out of my reach. So are you going to say this goes both ways? You won't take advantage of that?"

"That is my promise to you, if you can keep your end of the bargain."

Ukyou considered Kodachi's word. "I don't like taking money for my behavior towards Ranchan," she finally mumbled. "I'm not sure I like that at all. But ... I see where you're coming from, and I may not really have a choice in the matter. If I don't, and my restaurant goes under, then..."

"Then I think that Ranma-sama, as noble as he is, would give his all to help you anyway. And he'll certainly be lost to me."

"I would have said something else once, but I don't want him that way," Ukyou said quietly. "But ... oh, I'm sorry Kodachi. I still want him!"

"As do I," she agreed with the same tone of longing. "Is it a compromise? A truce?"

"I ... oh, damn. Y...yeah. But we both agree that we never fight about this right here and now, okay?"

"I've learned my lesson in that regard," Kodachi said dryly. "I'd offer to shake on it, but I'm afraid I can't. Will you accept my word of honor, then?"

"I will, if you'll accept mine," Ukyou said earnestly.

"Then we can agree as allies."

"N...no," Ukyou said, smiling and shaking her head. "As ... friends, right? I think that'd make Ranchan happy. And that way ... whichever one of us loses can still have that much, right?"

"Kuonji Ukyou, are you telling me that you would rather see Ranma-sama happy with another woman on a regular basis than not have to see him at all after losing him?"

"Aren't you telling me the same thing, 'Dachi-chan?"

The Kuno girl chuckled quietly before groaning in pain. "I think you are right," she agreed, once she'd recovered. "Very well, my ... my friend. Hmm. I quite like the sound of that, too."

There was a companionable silence for a time.

"Hey," Ukyou said suddenly. "I think the previews said that Iron Chef France was gonna be in the next episode. You know about French cuisine, right?"

"I do! But I rather suspect that the show is, shall we say, rigged in favor of the Iron Chefs?"

"Hey! You think so, too"  
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	6. Phase 6

Unfair Warning: Phase Six

A metafiction by Brian Randall

Disclaimer: Original source is Ranma 1/2, which is the property and creation of Rumiko Takahashi. Her paints, my easel, and the brush is borrowed without permission (hence this disclaimer) from Kenko and Chris Jones, as this metafic is inspired by 'Fair Warning' and 'The Tomboy Solution'.

Note: Fans of the above fics will probably not enjoy the effects of this one. Consider yourselves warned. Divergence. You'll know it when you see it.  
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-0-

"Why am I watching this?" Akane asked, annoyed at the time taken away from her studies to go to the airport.

"Hush," her father said insistently. "This is for your own safety."

"How?" she asked, glancing to Genma, at her father's side.

The bald man was dressed in a brown business suit with a nondescript fedora. Soun was dressed the same, and Happosai was -- thankfully -- not in sight. Akane didn't want to know what his plans were at the moment.

Bad enough her father only drilled her in the most basic forms of the art, and Genma continually droned on about the simple tenets of the school's philosophy. Between the two of them, she felt continual reminders of her mistake, and Happosai's own commentary wasn't terribly pleasant to hear, either.

Though the aged master did at least compare her favorably to Ranma, assuring her that the boy had his own share of flaws.

That was a lesson on pride, though, because he was also quick to point out that Ranma hadn't nearly crippled anyone when Akane agreed. This set off another bout of Genma's 'virtues of a proper martial artist', and when it had finally ended, the man adjusted his spectacles and said it was time to go to the airport.

"How?" she asked again, crossing her arms over her chest. She hadn't even had time to change out of her St. Hebereke's uniform. Though, she had to admit, it allowed for more maneuverability than her Furinkan uniform had.

"There," Genma said in satisfaction, pointing across the terminal. The room was very large, and filled with people, most of them on their way to some gate, a few uniformed security guards patrolling and offering directions to the lost. There were also flight attendants, pilots, and what appeared to be a grade-school class on a field trip.

Akane looked past all of those, and found Ranma across the way. Her heart skipped a beat, and she must have made some noise of surprise, because her father's hand settled on her shoulder. She shook her head quickly; Ranma was taking a flight? Where? He'd always taken the train before.

Ahead of Ranma were Cologne and Mousse. Akane swallowed. Ranma was carrying a small cage, though it was a plastic shell, concealing whatever was within. Could it be, she wondered, a cat? Ranma was going back to China with Shampoo?

"I really screwed up," she groaned.

"Yes, but this should clear things up a bit," Genma assured her. "Watch."

Akane swallowed, and the trio vanished through a gate. Not long after, there was the muffled din of a fight, though a brief one. Then a loudly protesting quack, and silence. Akane blinked, surprised to see a nearby luggage conveyer bearing the same cage that Ranma had been handling upwards, and deeper into the terminal.

It turned briefly, before vanishing, and she spotted a dazed-looking duck within. Not a cat. And that meant...

"Ranma's not leaving!" she said in relief. "He just sent Mousse away!"

"Exactly. Mousse would have been furious if he found out that you had attacked Shampoo. He was giving my son some problems as it was," Genma explained. "Now, nothing is perfect, but you've been listening to us for a while, so bear with me a little longer. This, too, is part of your path to becoming a martial artist."

"And we've argued about it long and hard," her father added, turning to face her. Akane nodded, peeking around the men for another glimpse of Ranma, reassured when he and the old woman headed towards an exit, instead of boarding a flight away.

"But we can't afford to let our school be split."

Akane stopped looking for Ranma and stared at Genma sharply. "What? You're not going to try to get me to marry Ranma, are you?" she demanded.

Genma and her father exchanged a glance before her father coughed quietly. "You see, Akane-chan," Soun began carefully, "you've made things harder, but not impossible. You and Ranma-kun might still be wed."

"Much, much more difficult," Genma agreed with a grimace. "But we talked it over with the master, and he, of course, talked to Cologne about it."

"And Ranma?" she pressed.

The men exchanged another glance.

"This is where things are tricky," Genma warned. "Ranma is my student, and the heir to the Saotome side of the school. You're still the most suitable heir for your side of the school. The master told Cologne that, uh, well... He said it wasn't fair for Cologne to take away his most promising student and heir."

Akane shifted her shoulders and frowned, not liking the way that her questions had been dismissed. "But what about Ranma? He's not... He's not planning on abandoning the school, is he?"

"Do you expect him to teach martial arts in your dojo as things stand?" Genma asked critically. "I'm not about to relinquish my own control of the school -- not after establishing the Umi-sen-ken and the Yama-sen-ken--"

"And I'm not about to relinquish the dojo I struggled to build," her father countered quickly, shooting his friend a stern look. Genma met it, swallowing the rest of his statement before Soun had interrupted him, and Akane blinked at the sense of an old argument between the two that had never been perfectly settled.

"And I guess you two couldn't come to an agreement," she said, unsurprised.

"Wrong," they said together.

"Aside from engaging me to Ranma. And now that this has happened, you're both desperate to do whatever you can to get us married, right?"

Soun nodded, and Genma looked uncomfortable ... but nodded a moment later. "I don't think that can happen," she sighed, shaking her head. "I doubt Ranma can forgive me. M...maybe Kasumi. Or Nabiki."

"Cologne said it had to be you," Soun said with a shrug. "So we're to train you. Once, um, Ranma-kun's finished tending to things and isn't under any obligation to those other girls, Cologne agreed that she would allow Ranma to choose to return to you, if he wanted."

Akane blinked. "What?" she asked, disbelieving. "That..." Her mind raced. Was there still a chance after all? "No, no. That'll never work. I mean, what about Ukyou, and Kodachi? You two didn't think this through at all!"

"We've got time," Soun said with a shrug. "You apologized to Shampoo, why not the others?"

"Are you two stupid? That won't work!"

"Are you so sure? We can't know if we don't try, and I don't want to let our schools die out here."

"And you," she said, rounding on Genma, narrowing her eyes. "What else was in that bargain?"

"If Ranma doesn't accept you, then Cologne will allow Ranma to teach you everything he's learned to complete the schools," Genma said with a shrug. "So we'll become stronger either way. I'd rather have all of that knowledge forever united in a single school... But if that's the closest we can come, then that's what we'll settle for."

"So, will you do it, Akane-chan?" Soun asked seriously. "Think about it. Ranma-kun sent Mousse away because he might have been a danger to you. That tells me you still have a chance."

"But only a chance," Genma warned, before she could reply. "You have to understand ... the training to bring my boy back will be hard, possibly merciless. I won't lie to you. You'll need to grow quite a bit, and the challenges will be unforgiving. You'll be training with me, and I won't go easy on you like your father did."

"Hey!" the man protested.

Akane ignored him, studying Ranma's father. His features seemed to have hardened since the last time she'd actually looked at him, granting him a stoic, unshakable air. Somehow, though, he looked anxious and unhappy, behind his mask. "Do you want me to?" she asked.

"That's not the important question here, Akane-chan," he replied with a shake of his head. "Do you want to take this path?"

"I..." She swallowed and bowed her head, thinking. "I do," she admitted quietly. "I really l...like that... I want to, yes. But I don't think I have a chance."

"We have more than a chance," Soun said proudly. "Yes, it might take some work, but we can see that it gets done!"

"How?"

Genma released a long, echoing sigh. "With our secret weapon," he said, finally. "I didn't want to have to do this."

"W...what is it?"

"Akane-chan, I think it's time for us to formally meet with my wife."

-1-

Ukyou's schedule had shifted abruptly. As a businesswoman, she had paid particularly close attention to when she did what, allowing enough time to both attend classes and maintain her business. Now that she had been hospitalized, she wasn't able to go to school or work.

She worried that she wouldn't be able to recover from the extended downtime at her work, but found Ranma's company a soothing balm. For the rest of the time, though she slept a lot, Kodachi was an excellent conversationalist, and Ukyou found herself liking the other girl. They were rivals for Ranma's affection, but friends otherwise.

The other girl's good humor made it hard for Ukyou to be too dispirited, and when Ranma studied with them, it was even easy to get along. Admittedly, all discussions had carefully avoided the question of who Ranma was going to marry, an issue that Ukyou knew loomed large. Oh, they had at least until everyone recovered, but Ukyou found herself guiltily hoping that Kodachi's recovery took a full year, just so she could be guaranteed that much more of Ranma's time.

But then, she reasoned, Ranma would be spending that much more time with Kodachi, and if she could get to liking Kodachi, Ranma could, too, and that meant...

She sighed, puffing out her cheeks. "I know that sound," Kodachi murmured from her bed.

"I guess," Ukyou admitted with a nervous chuckle. "Is Ranchan running late?"

"Perhaps there was an issue at the Neko-Hanten," Kodachi suggested. "Should we go there and see?"

This elicited a snort from Ukyou. "Yeah, right. I'll just hobble along and push your bed. Won't we be a sorry sight? Two of Nerima's best..." She trailed off. "I wonder where this puts us, now that I think about it."

"As somewhat less than we were, I'd imagine," Kodachi replied dryly. "Though, as in all things, I'd also expect ... above Tendo Akane."

"Yeah," Ukyou agreed, grimacing again.

"Heya!" Ranma exclaimed, throwing the door open and striding to the foot of Kodachi's bed with a wide grin. "How are you two doin'?"

Shampoo followed behind Ranma, carrying the bag of school supplies. Ukyou could do her own homework, but Shampoo had to help Kodachi, since the largely immobilized girl had trouble writing with only one free hand. Though, from what Ukyou could tell, Shampoo's written Japanese was getting much better.

Shampoo's bruises had almost completely faded, too, probably to be gone within a day or two. Ukyou felt a sudden pang of jealousy, but quickly suppressed it, turning to look at Ranma.

Her stomach filled with butterflies at the radiant grin he was still giving off.

"I'm doing much better now," Kodachi replied with a bright smile that was just shy of being a smirk. "Seeing you so filled with joy at me ... why, it makes this all seem worth it."

Shampoo snorted. "Ranma did a big chore today," she offered.

"Not that I don't mind seein' you two," he added quickly. "Kodachi, you're looking better every day. And Ucchan..." He trailed off and approached her, taking her chin in his hand and turning her face to examine the bandage there. After a moment he'd removed the dressing, which always made her heart skip a beat. She wanted to cry when he frowned at what he saw, but forced herself to remain as expressionless as possible.

"Good," he said after a moment, nodding judiciously. "From what Cologne said, I think there might be a tiny scar ... but I bet you'll only even be able to tell up close."

She fought to keep down another emotion at that, but couldn't help grinning. Before, a wide smile would have aggravated the wound, but it had healed enough that she barely even felt it now.

Shampoo got out the day's homework and books while Ranma cleaned and dressed the wound, which was simultaneously one of the best and worst parts of Ukyou's day. She wasn't sure how to feel about Shampoo helping Ranma by providing clean bandages ... but ultimately she realized she couldn't really complain. After all, the animosity between the three of them was, if not gone, carefully locked away.

"There," he said when he was finished, nodding. "Man, you wouldn't believe the crazy herbal stuff you can do," he added, glancing over to Kodachi and retreating a few steps to put himself comfortably into her field of view.

"I would," Shampoo said, pulling up chairs for herself and Ranma. Her seat was at Kodachi's side, so she could turn the pages of various books, and Kodachi could supervise whatever Shampoo wrote down. Ranma sat at the foot of her bed, looking at the stack of books and paper Shampoo handed him with dismay. "Airen, something wrong?"

"Aw... Somehow, I thought I wouldn't have to worry about homework today," he sighed.

"Why not?" Ukyou asked, frowning. "I mean, it's a school day, so there's homework, right?"

"I think I know," Kodachi offered. "Ranma-sama, tell me ... what was your great errand today?"

Ranma grinned again. "Finally got to send Mousse packin'," he said cheerfully. "Cologne and me sent him back to China. He won't be botherin' me for ... well, probably a week at least!"

"Well, that seems laudable," Kodachi said sagely. Ukyou gave a half-shrug, nodding her agreement. "Who is Mousse, precisely?"

"Stupid pest," Shampoo asserted. "But he hopefully stay gone forever. More than just one week."

"I'd be happy with just a week," Ranma said sourly. "Aw, man... Can we start with math today? That's my worst subject, so I wanna make sure I take care of it, first."

"Sure," Ukyou said agreeably, sorting through the books at her bedside. "Boy, Ranchan, it sure is great seeing you applying yourself. I bet you're going to get the best marks in the class!"

"Only if I'm really lucky," he said wryly, shaking his head. "But I'm studyin' a ton more with Cologne and Tofu-sensei, too. At least the Shiatsu stuff is easy. But these herbs... Whew. So much to keep track of. And then I gotta help out at the restaurant, prolly even more now that Mousse is gone. It was always easier back at..." He shook his head abruptly, his expression shifting from wistful to solemn. "Anyway. Let's take a crack at this math, huh?"

"Of course," Kodachi replied, when Ukyou's voice stuck, and Shampoo stared at the floor in dismay. "A turn of subject may presage a turn of heart."

"Huh?"

Ukyou bit her lip, shooting Kodachi a soft smile that the other girl wouldn't be able to see. She was having a hard time seeing the former gymnast as a hated rival.

-2-

Tofu finished flipping through the last of the reports and released a sigh, nodding. Ranma sat opposite him, fiddling anxiously with a pen, spinning it around between his fingers and then tossing it into the air. "It's all okay?" Ranma asked anxiously.

"What do you think?" the doctor asked.

"W...well," Ranma began hesitantly, eyeing the stack of papers. "I dunno. I've learned a lot about making tea for headaches and upset stomachs, and medicine for bruises and cuts, but a ... shattered hip is kinda..." He hesitated, and then blurted out, "I dunno, sensei! It's too much for me to figure out! I can't read all that stuff!"

He slumped, staring at the floor. "An', anyway, I wanna say Ucchan's fine, so she'll be okay to go home. But I dunno if I should, because me wantin' her to be okay don't mean it's really that way."

"Well, that's fine," Tofu said agreeably. "It's important to me to know that you realize your own limitations before you take that young lady into your care."

"Huh?"

"You view medicine very differently from martial arts, and I'm glad for that," Tofu added, smiling. "I know you don't know enough to judge accurately. I just wanted to see if you'd guess, or if you'd admit that you didn't know. I'm proud of you."

"Why?" Ranma asked, scratching his head. "I mean, this ain't me. If it were me, I'd say, 'It's nothin', and then try and get outta the hospital. But this is Ucchan. I owe it to her to make sure she's okay, 'cause I promised her."

Tofu chuckled, shaking his head. "Ah, never mind," he sighed. "What's important is that, as I said before, your heart seems to me to be in the right place. Well, Ukyou is somewhat headstrong, much like you are."

"What's that mean?" Ranma asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Well, just that ... I think she's okay to be released. But I also think you're going to need to keep a close eye on her to make sure that she doesn't push herself too hard." The doctor slid the papers across the desk, putting them in a folder. "So while Ukyou's hip is mostly set, she'll need to be careful with it. This means that she isn't allowed to walk anywhere without using crutches; I'd prefer a wheelchair, but I suspect that she wouldn't stand for that."

"I'm pretty sure she would," Ranma replied with a smirk.

Tofu blinked twice before he caught the joke and snickered. "Now, now. Seriously, Ranma, I want you to make sure she spends most of the next week, at least, being very careful with that hip. So no heavy lifting -- no lifting at all, if you can help it. If she's going to work, which I expect she will, try and keep her sitting down as much as possible."

The boy nodded thoughtfully. "Got it," he agreed. "So I should make sure she doesn't try and take those stairs by herself or anything, either, right?"

"Absolutely. She'd best move downstairs until she's more recovered. Since she's going to be released from the hospital, I want you to bring her back here for regular follow-ups. Also, I'm going to prescribe her two pills. One is going to be a calcium supplement. Cologne may suggest an herbal alternative, and that's fine. But I'm also going to prescribe antibiotics, which you need to make sure she takes; we can't afford to let her get any sort of infection."

"Got it," Ranma said with a nod. "Anything else?"

"That's it, Ranma. Take good care of her."

"I can promise you that, Tofu-sensei."

-3-

Being released from the hospital was quite possibly the best day of Ukyou's life. That Ranma was there with her, standing ready to catch her if she stumbled, made it better. It took a bit of work, and she found herself discomfited by how slowly she was forced to hobble, but after losing two weeks -- Two weeks! -- to healing as much as she had, she doubted her finances would allow for a cab.

She said farewell to Kodachi, but only was able to make it to the lobby of the hospital before needing to stop and catch her breath. "Oh," she groaned, leaning on the crutches she'd been given, trying to avoid stressing her hip. "This is going to take forever! I just wanted to take a shower and sleep in my own bed tonight!"

Ranma winced, then asked, "Um ... Ucchan, can I help?"

"Of course," she said agreeably. Ranma moved to stand to one side of her, then gathered her into his arms, careful not to jostle her wounded hip. "Aah!" she yelped, surprised by his suddenness, and blushing fiercely. "Um..."

"Is something wrong?" he asked worriedly. "Should I set you down?"

"N...no," she managed quickly, her blush intensifying. She shifted the crutches to the same hand, trying to hold them out of Ranma's way. "I just wasn't expecting ... um..."

He smiled at her reassuringly. "Don't worry about it," he said gently. "We'll be back at your place in no time. Ready?"

She nodded shyly, glancing to one side, where Shampoo watched with an unreadable expression, holding the bag of supplies that she carried as Ranma's self-appointed nurse.

True to Ranma's word, the trip back to her restaurant took almost no time at all. Shampoo unlocked and opened the door, and then Ranma strode in, carrying her upstairs and to her room. Ukyou blushed again, unable to avoid thinking about the American tradition of newlyweds.

"You okay?" Ranma asked, as Shampoo rolled out her futon. He set her down carefully atop it, and pressed a hand against her forehead. "You feel kind of warm."

"I...I'm fine," she managed, her heart skipping a beat. "Um. But I wanted to take a shower first."

Ranma frowned at that. "I'm not sure," he said slowly. "I think you'd be better off taking a bath, so you could sit down."

Shampoo nodded her agreement, and Ukyou bit her lip. "But ... I don't have a bath here, just a small shower."

"Well..." Ranma hesitated. "I guess I could get some cold water, and take you to a bathhouse..."

"But, well, I mean, you'd get to see me naked!" Ukyou protested half-heartedly. Ranma winced, and she added, "Though, I guess hot water would be everywhere, so it would only be fair-- I mean, um..." She trailed off into silence, studying the floor intently to hide the blush she was certain Ranma could feel the heat of.

"I have idea," the self-proclaimed nurse chirped, smiling suddenly. "Big bath at Neko-Hanten. We take Ukyou there, and I help!"

"Sure," Ranma said with a shrug. "That's only a block or two away, and I left my stuff there anyway. Okay. You ready, Ucchan?"

"Okay," she agreed, as Ranma picked her up again. This time she left her crutches on the floor and leaned into her fiancee's chest, listening to his steady heartbeat as Shampoo opened the window and hopped outside. He followed, and far too quickly they reached the Neko-Hanten, where he set her down gently in the bathroom, before nervously vanishing.

"Darn," she muttered, watching him leave. With a sigh, she began pulling at her clothes, surprised when Shampoo started stripping her own clothes off. "What are you..." She trailed off with a shrug. It wouldn't be the first time she'd bathed with Shampoo. They'd done it at the hot springs during their race, too.

"I help," the Chinese girl offered. "Also, keep Airen from seeing too much naked Ukyou."

Ukyou blushed crimson at that, finally working her way out of the hospital gown she'd been wearing. More traditional clothes might be difficult to work with, considering how awkward her hip still was. "Oh," she said quietly. "Um ... Shampoo... Can I ask you a question about that?"

"Of course," Shampoo said, filling a bucket with warm water and setting it by Ukyou, sliding a bar of soap and a washcloth over a second later. "About Airen, yes?"

"Y...yeah," she agreed. "Um ... we can't fight for him, but... Well, what do we do now?" After lathering up her washcloth she glanced up at Shampoo, who was carefully keeping her broken arm dry, still trying to wash herself. "Oh, sheesh. We're a sorry pair. Come here so I can scrub your back."

Snorting, the Chinese girl did as instructed, leaning forward slightly and putting her hair up into a bun, though Ukyou needed to help when one of Shampoo's hands alone wasn't up to the task. "I not sure," the girl admitted quietly. "Is complicated now. But you is right; no more fighting. I want Ukyou-girl and Kodachi-girl to be Airen's friends."

"So that you can have him to yourself?" Ukyou asked critically, scrubbing Shampoo's arm near the cast, careful not to get it wet. "Well, that's my plan too."

"Is a good plan," Shampoo said quietly. "Is best plan I has, anyway."

They were quiet for a minute, until Ukyou finished scrubbing. Then she rose, walked behind Ukyou, and carefully began returning the favor. "Thanks," Ukyou said, pulling her hair over her shoulder, then splashing herself with some of the warm water. While Shampoo scrubbed, she washed her hair. "Okay," she said after a moment, "well... Let's try something new about that, huh?"

"Something new?" Shampoo asked, working the sudsy washcloth down Ukyou's back, pressing only gently near her injured side. "What that?"

"When ... Akane beat us, she tried to make everyone take back what they had with Ranchan. I mean, she did, right? She said she wanted me to give up on the formal engagement." She swallowed suddenly. "And ... I promised I would. Ranchan said it didn't matter, but..."

"I too," the other girl answered briskly. "But Airen say, 'No matter, challenge again when you better'. So I not worried."

"Well... Okay, that's exactly it. And, anyway, there's nothing that says you can't like him. Or go after him. You just don't have a ... you know ... tie or obligation. And I guess unless I push things, I don't either. But I don't want to push things."

"What Akane say and do doesn't matter," Shampoo returned, tossing the washcloth away and rinsing herself off with a bucket. A moment later, Ukyou closed her eyes when water sluiced down over her own head. "Not to Airen," she added, softly.

"Y...yeah, that's exactly it," Ukyou said, nodding slightly. She squealed in alarm when Shampoo wrapped an arm around her and hefted her easily, but without jostling her hip. Her alarm faded when the Chinese girl set her in the furo, pausing for a moment before climbing in next to her. "Um ... thanks."

"Is no problem," Shampoo said with a smile. "I think I see. So, because Airen already feels tied to I and Ukyou, not pressure him, and let him choose on his own?"

"That's it," Ukyou agreed. "That's what I was thinking of. I mean ... we're not like Akane. We won't make that mistake."

"Again."

Ukyou winced, but nodded. "Right. So anyway. Why don't we try not reminding him about, um, being engaged or obligated to us? I think he already feels pretty bad just trying to take care of us. So ... no more pressure on him."

"Not want to let him slip away, though."

"We wouldn't. I mean ... he's going to be around us all the time now, isn't he? I know it might be hard for you to trust me, since he'll be staying with me now ... but you can come over all the time. When we go to visit Kodachi, you can join us when we study. And it sounds like he's going to be here a lot to learn from Cologne, anyway."

Shampoo considered, while Ukyou swallowed nervously. She desperately wanted Ranma to marry her ... but she also knew that as much as things had changed, he still needed time and space to get over Akane. Would Shampoo understand that Ukyou was giving up what she thought was a guarantee of snaring Ranma to share her time with him? But then ... she didn't want to get Ranma like that. It felt too much like the time she'd used fake tears to try and manipulate him.

"Okay," Shampoo decided abruptly. "Obstacles is for killing. Is Joketsuzoku way. But that not make Airen happy, so Shampoo ignore it for him. Can do this, too." She seemed to want to say more for a moment, then shook her head. "Ukyou-girl, if you going to be Airen's friend, even if Airen doesn't marry ... we be friends, too? That maybe make it easier?"

Ukyou nodded happily. "I'd like to try that," she agreed.

"Now, how we deal with Kodachi-girl?"

"W...well, I already made a truce with her," Ukyou admitted, blushing slightly.

Shampoo smirked. "I thought so," she said. "What conditions?"

Ukyou explained, "Basically, the deal is that no one makes a move on Ranchan until we're all better. We'll all try and get along until then."

Shampoo nodded thoughtfully. "I agree too. I asked, and Great-grandmother says is probably good idea."

"She did?"

"I think she has something planned," Shampoo began, before shaking her head suddenly. "It will be okay, I think. If we is only friends... Well." She shrugged.

Ukyou nodded slowly, relaxing a little bit and enjoying a soak in the warm water.

-4-

After Ukyou had fallen asleep in the bath, Shampoo had carefully removed her from the water, dressed her in a pair of the Chinese girl's pajamas, and then called Ranma in. After a moment of panic at seeing Shampoo still naked -- he did wonder about that -- he moved Ukyou to Shampoo's bed long enough to take a bath himself.

Ukyou hadn't woken up by then, so he carried the girl back to her own place with Shampoo, who insisted on helping. He managed to rouse Ukyou long enough to take her medication, along with an herbal tea Cologne had suggested, then walked Shampoo back home. Once there, she said goodbye, but handed him a takeout box, with instructions that he save it for breakfast.

Humming to himself, and tired after the full day, Ranma smiled up at the starless city sky. "Things could be worse," he mused aloud, just before his father appeared from the darkness. "Uh ... Pop?"

"Boy," Genma returned, nodding. "Congratulations on dealing with Mousse. How is ... everything going?"

"Pretty good so far," Ranma said with a shrug. "Come on. I gotta get back to Ucchan's; we can talk there."

"Why not here?" Genma asked, falling into step beside his son when Ranma continued walking.

"'Cause I gotta keep an eye on Ucchan," Ranma said with a shrug. "If she wakes up in the middle of the night and needs to go to the bathroom or somethin', I'll have to carry her down the stairs. Tofu-sensei said she should sleep on the ground floor, but I figured for her first night back she'd want her own room."

"Fair enough." There was a moment of companionable silence, until they reached Ukyou's restaurant. After checking in on the slumbering girl, Ranma went back downstairs to sit at the counter with his father.

"So, what's this all about?"

"Boy ... there is something I want to warn you about."

"What is it?" Ranma asked, tensing. "Akane beat someone else up?"

"What? Of course not! The dougi is gone. No, no... Look. The unity of the school--"

"Don't tell me you're backing out on what you said," Ranma growled. "We can't do that!"

"I'm not," Genma said stiffly. "But the unity of the schools is important."

"And I'm not marryin' Akane -- I can't let anyone think that what she did was okay. Hells, even Happi was on her case for it."

"Still is," Genma agreed. "But even the master agrees that it's a shame to let you go from the school."

"I'm not leaving the school," Ranma said indignantly. "What the hell gave you that idea?"

"The fact that you're not studying martial arts?" Genma asked, raising an eyebrow. "You're studying medicine. Shiatsu. Herbalism."

"W...well... Those are things that would help the school," Ranma protested. "And, 'sides, I kinda gotta do it anyway. If Akane hadn't hurt the girls so bad..." He trailed off and shrugged.

"Of course," Genma said doubtfully. "But if you stay with the school, I'm worried that you'll lose your edge. Studying medicine and shiatsu is fine, but it's not going to let you practice enough -- especially the way things are now. Then it will become even more difficult to unite the schools, because how can you claim to be a skilled martial artist?"

"Why isn't the old freak in on this conversation?" Ranma asked, suddenly suspicious. "What's goin' on, Pop?"

"We've made a deal," Genma said with a shrug. "Cologne agreed to it. Tendo and I will train Akane. If she earns your trust within the time it takes the other girls to heal, then you'll marry her and unite the schools. So you can practice with her, while those other girls are healing."

"You're a moron," Ranma said after an extended pause. "A total moron, Pop. That just ain't happening."

"Is it? Akane got Shampoo to forgive her. If she gets Ukyou and Kodachi to forgive her, too, is it that impossible?"

"Hell yes! It ain't happening -- and if it were, as soon as I went back to Akane, the Kuno family would sue the Tendos. Did you forget about that deal?"

"No," Genma said quietly. "Nothing is perfect. There will be challenges to overcome. But the schools can still be united! If Cologne can agree, with the pride of her tribe behind her, why can't someone who owns," he gestured vaguely to the room around him, "this? Or someone who's so wealthy it makes no difference?"

"Pop," Ranma hissed, "you're really startin' to piss me off. You're just forgetting about what happened? Pretending it ain't a problem?"

"I'm not," Genma snapped, shooting his son a sharp look. "But I'm thinking about the survival of the school, something that should outlive both of us. Not wounds which can heal. And with you on the job, I'm confident that the girls will be just fine. So. Will you agree to give Akane this chance? Until you are done taking care of them?"

"Did you hit your head? Are you crazy?"

"Admit it, Boy. You still like the idea of being able to marry Akane," Genma pressed. "You would have started a fight with me by now if I was wrong."

"I..." Ranma trailed off, swallowing uncomfortably and staring up at the ceiling, wondering at his father's words. "It ain't happening," he said after a moment. "It won't work. There's no chance."

"Then surely you don't see a problem with agreeing to let her fail," Genma insisted. "She can learn from the experience, and if nothing else, you can still work together to keep the schools as close as possible until the next generation can unite them, can't you?"

"Is it that important to you?" he asked dully.

"Can you say it's not that important to you?" Genma countered.

Ranma stared wordlessly until he had to look away from his father's gaze. "Fine," he sighed. "I'll give her a chance, because... Oh, hell. It ain't gonna work. But whatever. She's got the same chance as anyone else."

Genma smiled and nodded. "Good," he said, sighing. "Aside from which, won't you want to make sure that she's learned her lesson? Maybe take a hand in helping me train her?"

"I dunno," Ranma said doubtfully. "I don't got that much free time anymore. So Akane's going to have to figure out how to okay it with the other girls first. Now go away, I've got enough to deal with."

"Fine, fine... Rest well, Boy. And good luck."

"Yeah, whatever," Ranma mumbled, watching the man leave.

Once he was alone, he hung his head and sighed. "Just when things were gettin' better," he groaned. "What the hell."

-5-

Ukyou stared at the ceiling of her room, considering the overheard conversation. She wasn't happy to have heard what she had ... but it did make some things clearer. Akane should have been out of the running. If Genma and Soun -- and maybe Akane, too -- thought that things were otherwise, things could get very difficult for the Tendo girl.

Aside from which, how did she expect Ukyou to forgive her?

She restlessly wished she could roll onto her side, but refrained, mindful of her hip. She needed advice. She needed help.

She needed a friend.

She brightened suddenly, realizing that she had two of them, not even counting Ranma.

Any plan from Genma and Soun was going to run into unexpected complications, if they thought things were going to be that simple. She just needed to figure out how to make sure that it didn't bother Ranma.

Thinking that, she allowed herself to drift back to sleep again, dreaming of Ranma and her friends.  
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	7. Phase 7

Unfair Warning: Phase Seven

A metafiction by Brian Randall

Disclaimer: Original source is Ranma 1/2, which is the property and creation of Rumiko Takahashi. Her paints, my easel, and the brush is borrowed without permission (hence this disclaimer) from Kenko and Chris Jones, as this metafic is inspired by 'Fair Warning' and 'The Tomboy Solution'.

Note: Fans of the above fics will probably not enjoy the effects of this one. Consider yourselves warned. Divergence. You'll know it when you see it.  
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-0-

"I'm fine, Ranchan," Ukyou said insistently, fighting down the blush she could feel forming on her cheeks. "If I don't start trying to move around more on my own, I'll never get stronger." Though, since she had to admit, she liked being carried around, it was difficult to make herself say it.

"Are you sure?" he asked doubtfully, hovering behind her anxiously as she worked her way down the hallway towards Kodachi's room on her crutches. Shampoo had gone ahead, bringing the herbs that Ranma had prepared the day before.

All of that was fine, of course, but what Ukyou was primarily concerned about was that she needed to get some time alone with the other girls to relate what she had overheard. Letting Ranma know she was aware probably wouldn't be terrible, but she didn't want him to worry about it unnecessarily. And she did want some advice.

"I'm sure," she said, pausing to catch her breath and shooting him the brightest smile she could manage.

He grinned back at her. "Okay," he agreed reluctantly. "And you're right. But you need to be sure not to strain yourself too much."

"I agreed not to open up the Ucchan's for a week," she reminded him, moving down the hall again. "So it's not like I'm overdoing it."

He rubbed a hand through his hair. "Yeah," he admitted. "You're right. Um, anyway, after we finish our homework, I'm supposed to go with Tofu-sensei to check out Shampoo -- she's getting her cast off."

"Already?" she asked, surprised. "I thought that bones took longer to heal."

"Well... They should, but she's healing really well," Ranma said slowly. "Part of it's the herbal supplements that Cologne-sensei is helping me make. And then, she's been studying exercises with chi-flow to help speed up healing, too. I'd been doing those for a while, but never really understood 'em. Cologne-sensei said that I should be able to teach you and Kodachi, too."

Ukyou felt an internal tinge of worry, but masked it with a giggle. "And here you are saying you don't want me to rush things?" When had Cologne become a sensei to her Ranchan? And even if Shampoo were allied with Ukyou and Kodachi ... what was the old woman's plan? Ukyou somehow doubted they had room for her beyond, 'safe enough to satisfy Ranma'. The same probably went for Kodachi...

Yet another topic for the inevitable discussion, once they figured out how to distract Ranma long enough to talk freely.

"Well..." Ranma hesitated. "I don't know enough to teach you yet," he said quietly. "I mean, it's kind of like when you first learn to use your chi, you know? It's really hard to put into words, and you're not sure if you could explain it to someone else. So I want to make sure I can teach you and Kodachi right."

"So I have to wait on you?"

"You shouldn't rush healing," Ranma said firmly. "You can make it work better with good exercise, and the right herbs let your body work faster. Using chi is a great way to encourage good healing too, but it all comes down to your body. If you're rested, then I know that the slack can be picked up later. If you push yourself, you could aggravate your wounds. Have you even looked at the x-rays?"

"Yes," she said, frowning. "I asked a bunch of questions about it, too." Then she paused, turning to smile at him again. "It's important, you know. A girl's got to have good hips." Her face began warming, and she knew if she didn't hurry, she'd lock up before she could finish saying what she wanted. "And, and the doctors said that when my hip mends, I should still be able to have children, if I'm careful. So I don't want to mess this up, either." Then she couldn't meet his eyes and turned away -- but not too quickly. Then she'd fall and he'd have to catch her, and the embarrassment could reach lethal levels.

"Uh... Uh..." He sounded like she felt, she decided, smiling through the radiant heat coming from her face. "W...well... That's good."

They walked down the hall quietly for a few minutes, until Ukyou had begun to regain control of her blush. She realized she probably shouldn't have said something like that ... they were, after all, in a truce. But she didn't say anything bad, like letting him know she wanted to have children with him.

"A...anyway," he continued, coughing to clear his throat once, "the thing is right now your hip's together, mostly by pins, but also because it's been healing over time. Because the breaks are still there, and only partially healed, you want to make sure you don't break them again, you know? And if you go to fast and fall..."

"I know," she sighed. "And that's the next thing we'll need to figure out, Ranchan. But don't you worry, I've got it, now. You should sleep in my room, so that if anything goes wrong, you'll be right there!"

"Uh..."

"And once I reopen, I can't let you sleep behind the grill, or where my customers will be, right?"

"Y...yeah..."

Okay, she admitted to herself. That was certainly not in the theme of the truce. But it wasn't too bad... They'd just be in the same room, was all.

"Ah," Tofu said, coming around a corner. "Sooner than I expected you two." He smiled at the pair. "Feeling well, Kuonji-san?"

"You can call me Ukyou, Sensei," she answered. "And I think I'm doing pretty good right now."

"Good," he said, frowning and squinting at her. Suddenly, he reached out and traced a fingertip across her cheek, prompting her to blush and stumble backwards into Ranma. "Hmm. You know, I can't even see the scar anymore."

Ranma chuckled from where he had caught her. "Wrong cheek," he said, running a fingertip across the other side of her face, making her blush intensify. "See?"

"Oh, yes. It's a tiny white line when she's blushing," Tofu agreed. "My, that healed quite nicely. I only hope everything else goes as well."

"Yep!" Ranma said cheerfully. "Me, too." The cheer faded from his voice. "Um, Sensei... About Kodachi-"

"We need to discuss her, actually," the doctor interrupted with a solemn expression. Turning to Ukyou he added, "It's nothing serious, but I want to go over a few things with Ranma beforehand. I'm sorry for interfering with your study session, but I'll need to borrow him for about an hour to discuss."

Ukyou blinked, looking down the hall to Kodachi's room -- now only a few steps away. "Oh, that's fine," she said agreeably, when Shampoo poked her head out the door and motioned her in. "Um, we'll just talk about ... girl-stuff until Ranchan's ready to do his homework with us."

Ranma shrugged. "That sounds okay. Um, Shampoo, Ucchan, tell Kodachi I said 'hi', and I'll be back later."

"You got it, Ranchan!"

Shampoo waved as Ranma turned around and left with Tofu.

-1-

"You seem kind of serious, Sensei," Ranma said quickly below his breath, once Ukyou and Shampoo had vanished into Kodachi's room. "Is anything wrong?"

"Not as such, no," Tofu said. "But Kodachi's been in traction for just over three weeks, now. The issue is that several of her vertebrae had been crushed -- three of them quite badly. Two of them are damaged, but not irreparably. Now, because money isn't an issue to her, she can afford alternatives ... but I need to stress one thing to you here. The damage to her spine would typically be considered permanent."

Ranma winced, closing his eyes and pressing a finger to his right temple. "Typically," he echoed.

"Typically," Tofu agreed. "In her instance, we're able to consider some very new -- and potentially risky -- medical techniques. The biggest issue is of course, those vertebrae. The medical staff here knows about the technique, but it's not often done. What they plan on doing is ... well ... installing artificial replacements."

"Yeah," Ranma agreed, nodding. "You mentioned that before, too."

"Of course. The typical solution in this instance is called a 'spinal fusion'. That's where the vertebrae, which are flexible, are fused into a single mass. This would allow for recovery in a limited fashion, but doesn't always work, and does result in a loss of flexibility."

"Not so good for a gymnast or a martial artist."

"Well, there is that. Ultimately, this is going to be her choice as to which procedure she goes with. But the things to consider here are that, even though the replacement surgery has been successful before, it's still recent enough that we don't know what long-term side-effects might result."

Ranma's eyes opened. "It's her choice," he said quietly. "I think she's going to go with ... uh ... artificial replacements, even if it's riskier. Is it riskier?"

"Because of the number of vertebrae being replaced, yes," Tofu said quietly, moving down the hall once again. "No surgery is without risks. All things considered, I don't believe it's a substantial risk -- she is otherwise very healthy. The main issue is going to be recovery time, but I'm confident that she will recover as long as she's careful and takes it easy for a while. With you watching over her, that should be fine, I imagine."

"Huh. Okay, that seems pretty straightforward. What else?"

"Well, Ranma ... as you've probably guessed, I'm doing this to help you decide if you're interested in becoming a doctor. These options need to be explained to Kodachi, and someday, you might have to do the same for another patient. So, I've got a video for you to watch in this office here that should give you a better idea of what we're dealing with. Then we'll go over some of the medical reports on the procedure so you can approach it from an informed standpoint."

"Know your enemy," Ranma agreed bleakly. "More training. Okay, Sensei. Let's do this."

-2-

Now that Ukyou was able to move about more freely, both she and Shampoo sat at the foot of Kodachi's bed, the three girls facing inward silently. "Well," Kodachi said, finally breaking the delicate quiet, "we mustn't tarry too long. This is the first opportunity we've all had to discuss this, isn't it?"

"Is so," Shampoo agreed. "Stupid panda! What he think he do with this?"

"Be a jackass," Ukyou supplied. "Look, the thing about this is that I think if we work together, we can keep anything from getting out of hand. Honestly, it's not like it'll be hard to keep Ranchan away from Akane. After what she did, does she honestly expect me to forgive her?"

"Stupid Tendo-girl," Shampoo muttered. "I forgive, but only because either forgive, or kill. Not want kill. Maybe spank."

"Come now," Kodachi chided. "That's probably what Ranma-sama's father is depending on. By refusing to forgive, Ukyou-san is presented in a dimmer light."

Ukyou looked like she was about to protest, but visibly restrained herself, chewing her lip thoughtfully. "You must be seeing more of the old panda's plan than I am, 'Dachi-chan," she finally said.

"It seems straightforward to me," Kodachi said quietly. "But first... Cologne-san agreed to this, is that correct, Shampoo-san?"

"So panda says," Shampoo allowed with a frown. "If this is so, then only because Great-Grandmother knows Akane will not win." Then she blinked. "I say ... we all work together, yes?"

"Of course, Shampoo-san," Kodachi agreed.

"That's right, Shan-chan," Ukyou echoed.

"Um. 'Shampoo-san' too long. 'Shan-chan' is okay," Shampoo said quietly. "But Great-Grandmother act different lately, not tell ... I?"

"Me," Kodachi supplied.

"Ah. Right. Not tell me as much as she used to for help in getting Airen. I think that she wants me and ... us. She wants us to solve on own. I think ... she wants us to be friends no matter what happens. Everyone needs allies, yes?"

Ukyou nodded. "Yes."

"So, maybe ... show Airen we all together by all forgiving Tendo girl?" she asked doubtfully, looking to Kodachi.

"I think that may be her plan, but I also think we may be missing something," she cautioned her two allies. "Let us think on this. As I understand it, Genma agreed to the plan because regardless of the outcome, his school will gain all of the techniques that Ranma-sama has learned.

"It seems to me that the most important factor is that. To him. If Ukyou-san--"

"Just Ukyou, or Ucchan," Ukyou overrode her. "We're friends now, right, 'Dachi?"

"Er..." Kodachi felt her cheeks color. She had no friends at all, before, and now she had two who were willing to help her keep her Ranma-sama out of Tendo Akane's clutches. She made a mental note that a profound apology would be in order for calling them harridans. "W...well, thank you ... Ukyou. Ah... If Ukyou heard Ranma-sama's father correctly, then, did it not seem that Genma expected Ranma-sama to either produce an heir with Tendo Akane, or ... remove him from the school if he did not comply?"

Shampoo scrunched up her face in consideration. Ukyou's mouth fell open. "No way!" she gasped. "The old panda's just enough of a jackass to leave that kind of threat over Ranchan's head, too! I don't know if he'd go through with it though. I mean, he couldn't! ...could he?"

"I not think so," Shampoo said firmly. "Panda may be stupid, but still loves Airen."

"He doesn't have to be willing to do it to make the threat," Kodachi noted. "If Ranma-sama is gulled, then that's that."

Ukyou and Shampoo blinked.

"As it is, Ranma-sama's father has suggested that Ranma-sama can only practice martial arts with Tendo Akane. At least, until we're all in better condition."

"Shampoo gets cast off today," the Chinese girl noted. "Will offer to practice with Airen tomorrow. Great-Grandmother never run out of good tricks to teach Airen."

"And that is part of the plan, too," Kodachi warned. "Doesn't his father want those techniques?"

"Wow," Ukyou said quietly. "If you've got his plan right, the old panda sure had a good one."

"I think panda's bad teacher give him idea," Shampoo mused. "Happi always want Chinese secrets."

"And Cologne agreed to give them to him, no matter how it works out," Ukyou mused. "Why? There's ... there's got to be more to this."

"There must be," Kodachi agreed. "We don't know enough, except to know that there's more, and we must be cautious."

"And if I don't forgive Akane, then in order to practice, Ranchan would have to go without me," Ukyou said suddenly, smacking one fist into the opposing palm. "But if I do forgive her, then I can be there, which makes it harder for the jackass to get Ranchan and Akane together!"

"Exactly," Kodachi agreed with a smile.

"You take long time to get to point," Shampoo said with a frown.

"The trip was informative, wasn't it?"

"Is true! I not complain. Just see new way to go about things."

"Well, I think we might as well tell Ranchan what we've figured out," Ukyou declared. "I didn't want to bother him before, but-"

"I advise caution," Kodachi warned.

Both other girls looked at her attentively.

"If we expose the plan, then it may change. And there still could be factors we don't know."

"You have an idea," Ukyou supplied. "And you want me to keep an eye on him, don't you?"

Shampoo nodded slowly. "I is okay, so good for spying. Ukyou is hurt still, so Airen want to be near her ... good decoy."

"And I shall facilitate the transfer of information. We're agreed that we will maintain caution until we understand all factors?"

"Agreed," Shampoo said brightly.

"You know," Ukyou remarked with a grin, "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship!"

"I think so too," Kodachi said softly. "I have but one question for you two at this moment."

"What's that, 'Dachi-chan?"

"Why do you call Ranma-sama's father a panda?"

Shampoo snickered suddenly, grinning like the cat who'd gotten the canary.

An abrupt knock at the door startled all three of the girls, who turned to look at it in alarm. Except Kodachi, who was still restrained and could only turn her eyes to it. Ranma poked his head in a second later.

"Sorry if I interrupted anything," he said, glancing at the stack of still untouched homework sitting nearby. "Before we start, um ... Kodachi, there's some things we should talk about." He stepped into the room and paused as Tofu followed, standing just behind him. "Uh, if you want privacy-"

"Anything fit for my ears is fit for my friends," Kodachi assured him before he could finish.

"O...okay." He frowned, then suddenly brightened. "I'm glad! So, anyway, Tofu-sensei and I went over a lot of what they're planning with your upcoming surgery, and I just wanted to make sure you understood what your choices and the risks were. So..."

-3-

"Akane-chan, it's been too long!" Nodoka said cheerfully, clapping her hands together in delight. "How nice of you to drop by!"

"U...um... It's nice to see you too, Saotome-san," Akane said, bowing her head.

"Oh, you must call me 'Mother', Akane-chan. And that's such a nice dress there -- is it a new school uniform?"

"Ah, yes," she said, forcing a smile. "I transferred to St. Hebereke recently."

"Well, come in, come in," Nodoka insisted, quickly ushering Akane into the main room of her home and pressing the girl with tea. "You must tell me how you've been -- and how Ranma-chan is, of course."

Akane winced. "Well, he's been ... away, a lot lately."

Nodoka's smile faded. "Oh, dear. Is everything alright? Is something the matter?"

Taking a deep breath, hands curled around the warm teacup, Akane haltingly explained, "I ... did something very improper, and ... I'm in trouble with him at the moment."

"Oh, dear," Nodoka murmured, suddenly solemn. "Well, tell me everything. Was it another man? Did you..." She looked suddenly aghast. "Did you betray your fiance?"

"No," she said quickly, shaking her head. "I ... um... I attacked the other girls... The other girls that were chasing him."

"Oh, my," Nodoka murmured, before she shook her head. "I'm sorry, Akane-chan, you'll need to start at the beginning. What about these other girls?"

Nodding, Akane tried to remember what Genma had instructed her to say as she explained the situation.

-4-

After Ranma and Tofu had explained everything to Kodachi, the Kuno girl -- and current master planner of the girls' cabal -- had decided on artificial replacement vertebrae. Shampoo thought she would have made the same choice, given the situation. But Shampoo also remembered a story from Ranma, one of the nights where they had stayed up late with him working on the salve that had healed Ukyou.

And one of the things that Ranma wasn't taking into account was Ryugenzawa. Or if he was, he was being quiet about it, which Shampoo doubted was his style. But she also knew that he couldn't very well go chasing after the moss from the lake while he was supposed to be taking care of them. And anyway, he wouldn't want to risk being absent when Kodachi had her operation.

There were other things, she suspected, but mostly what it boiled down to was that Shampoo thought that the moss would be convenient to have around, just in case things went wrong. And of course, when Tofu and Ranma left to double-check a recent x-ray of Shampoo's broken arm, she quickly outlined what she remembered of his story to the other girls.

After a hurried brainstorming session, they came up with a plan that suited Shampoo quite well. But not quite enough to overcome the itch that she couldn't scratch, buried beneath the cast she wore.

By the time they had agreed on what Shampoo would do, she was practically dancing in anticipating of the cast's removal. Then Ranma came back, and led her to another room. When Ranma held her hand while Tofu cut the cast off, she did dance for a moment -- before scratching the nagging itch and giving Ranma a hug. That had been a bit of a bad idea, she realized, since Ukyou was still in the room.

But the other girl only gave a knowing smile, ignoring Ranma's blushing and stammered protests. After that, they walked home slowly, stopping to bathe before Ukyou and Ranma returned to the Ucchan's. Once they were gone, Shampoo turned to her great-grandmother. "Great-Grandmother," she said quickly, "I have a plan!"

"Do you, now?" the old woman asked, raising an eyebrow.

"We have a plan," she allowed, smirking. "Will keep panda and Tendo busy for a while, and also do good thing for Kodachi."

"So now we've moved from considering killing your competition to keeping them in the running?" Cologne probed, raising the other eyebrow.

"You give our secrets to Airen's father," Shampoo countered. "Is a good plan. Akane repay Kodachi by getting moss of life from Ryugenzawa."

"Ryugenzawa?" Cologne asked, befuddled. "I didn't know there was any moss of life there."

"Airen told me -- found it there before. Guarded by a big serpent, too. But is okay, Akane has a whistle that makes serpent sleep, so not really dangerous, and can take panda with her, too."

Cologne narrowed her eyes thoughtfully. "And all your plan lacks is a compelling way to get those two to actually go and do it, right?"

Shampoo winced. "That's right."

With a thoughtful noise, Cologne turned her back to Shampoo. "Much to consider here. It would give me some time to choose which techniques I'll risk slipping away further ... but it is delaying your victory. You are giving those other girls a chance at your husband."

"They are my friends, Great-Grandmother."

"And they're improving your Japanese, too. So that's not something to complain about too much. Very well. I think this sounds like a good plan."

Shampoo clapped her hands together in delight. "Then Airen won't have to go back to Tendo-girl, like Happi is planning!"

"You're getting most of the picture," Cologne allowed. "Though I'm beginning to think it might be a good idea for me to drop in on your meetings."

"Er... Great-Grandmother already knows?"

"I had a reasonable suspicion, which you have confirmed. But this thing -- this whole thing -- is a bit bigger than you realize. As far as it concerns you, your friends, and Son-in-law, however, I want you to think of it as a learning opportunity. You've been doing well so far."

"But not plan ahead enough?" Shampoo asked warily. "I ... promised my friends that I would not try to take Airen for myself before everyone was better."

Cologne blinked. "Now, why would you do that?"

Shampoo looked away, frowning. "Because I could make Airen mine ... but that wouldn't be right. Some part of him always unhappy because he had to abandon the others. Maybe resent me too, if push too much. That what you warn me of."

"Well, yes, but that doesn't mean you have to give up."

"I not giving up. Just ... being patient," Shampoo said quietly.

"And what will you do if he marries Ukyou, or Kodachi, then? What about our laws?"

"Will break them for Airen," Shampoo said, her voice only wavering slightly. "Have pushed them far enough already."

"So you'll risk exile from our home rather than make him unhappy? Well, I suppose that's what love is. It's been rather a while." She offered a sad smile. "If your great-grandfather were still alive... Ah, never mind. What's important is that while you're learning, Son-in-law is, too. And one of the things I think you should start teaching him, is Chinese."

"Why?"

"Well, learning the language will involve reading, won't it? Don't we have a book of laws that he might want to read?"

"So ... Airen ... knows what I am doing for him?"

"Much better than trying to force it down his throat, isn't it? Aside from which, he shouldn't take too much convincing to pick up Chinese. We've got dozens of technique scrolls he could read, too, many of them medical."

Shampoo blinked. "Suddenly, everything just got more complicated."

Her response was a wry snort. "Just imagine how messy it will be by the time your truce ends, hmm?"

Shampoo thought about it for a minute. "Will live for today today," she decided. "Can live for tomorrow ... tomorrow. If Akane and panda are busy, can figure out what to do next later. Thank you for help, Great-Grandmother."

"Ah, what is family for? Aside from which, when I agreed to Happi's little proposal, I hope he didn't think I was just going to roll over and let Akane's little slip-up go without any sort of reprimand. Now get some rest, young woman."

"Okay! Rest well, Great-Grandmother!"

-5-

"...and that's how it ended up," Akane concluded, feeling emotionally and mentally drained.

Nodoka nodded slowly. "That sounds severe," she said in gentle tones. "I think I understand why my son would be upset. Oh, my." She shook her head, eyes going distant.

"A...anyway," Akane said with a sigh, "I need to figure out how to make this up to Ukyou and Kodachi."

Further rumination was interrupted by a knock at the door. "Oh, I wonder who that could be?" Nodoka murmured to herself, rousing from her contemplation and going to the door. She blinked in surprise at the tiny old woman at the door with a large take-out container in one hand. "Hello, can I help you?"

"You must be Nodoka," Cologne said with a warm smile. "And I think you could-- Oh! Tendo Akane, how convenient to find you here!"

"Oh, Akane, is this one of your friends?"

"Uh," the girl began, wincing. "Not ... exactly..."

"I'm Shampoo's great-grandmother," Cologne said smoothly. "You may call me Cologne, if you wish. I was just hoping to speak with you. Would you care for some warm dim sum? I find it's best to speak with a full stomach."

"Ah," Nodoka breathed, smiling. "Please, do come in! You may have the ideal insight, since your darling great-granddaughter Shampoo was so willing to forgive Akane-chan!"

Akane swallowed nervously, wondering what would happen next. She doubted this had been part of Genma's plan.  
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	8. Phase 8

Unfair Warning: Phase Eight 

A metafiction by Brian Randall

Disclaimer: Original source is Ranma 1/2, which is the property and creation of Rumiko Takahashi. Her paints, my easel, and the brush is borrowed without permission (hence this disclaimer) from Kenko and Chris Jones, as this metafic is inspired by 'Fair Warning' and 'The Tomboy Solution'.

Note: Fans of the above fics will probably not enjoy the effects of this one. Consider yourselves warned. Divergence. You'll know it when you see it.  
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-0-

Ranma was restless. The waiting room was mostly abandoned, just Ukyou, Shampoo, Ranma, and an elderly couple -- though, they sat on the opposite side of the room. A smattering of magazines were spread across a table in the center of the room, and Ukyou flipped through one idly.

Shampoo simply sat with her head bowed, and arms crossed. Almost as if she'd nodded off. Ukyou doubted that was the case; their plan relied on a lot of things, but their chief planner was Kodachi. Or, at least, she seemed to have the best insight into what everyone else was planning... Ukyou finally tossed the magazine of glossy wedding dress pictures onto the table.

Ranma's eyes flicked from the magazine to Ukyou, then to the clock again. Even though he sat between the two girls, he continually tapped one foot against the floor. The reverberations shuddered their way through the floor to Ukyou's seat, so she glanced at Shampoo, then put one hand on Ranma's arm. He started, briefly, then shot her a smile and stopped tapping his feet.

The Chinese girl glanced at Ukyou, shrugged, and rose. "I am getting some tea," she decided. "Something that calms nerves."

"Mugwort," Ranma replied absently. "A sprinkle of ginger, and, um, some honey to even out the taste."

Ukyou snickered, shaking her head. Shampoo rolled her eyes and managed a smile, even if they were all worried about what was going to happen to Kodachi. "For three," Shampoo agreed. "Will be back soon." She walked sedately from the room. Probably to Tofu's office, to ask him for the herbs Ranma had mentioned.

Ranma bit his lip and lowered his head, staring at the space between his feet.

Ukyou sighed, and patted his arm. He started again, slightly, then gave her a nervous smile.

"Worried?" she asked, even though she knew the answer.

He sighed explosively and nodded in reply.

"I wish I could say not to," Ukyou admitted, sliding her hand down Ranma's arm, until she clasped his hand in her own. "But I'm worried, too."

"Yeah," Ranma mumbled, looking away.

"I can listen, you know," she added softly. "If you want to talk about it."

"It's..." He trailed off. "I don't think you want to hear it."

"Wrong!" she chastized, putting a smile into her voice so he'd know she wasn't angry. "I'm your friend, aren't I? Can't you trust me?"

"It's about Akane, too," he replied uneasily.

Ukyou flinched inwardly, but had expected as much. "Well, I still want to help you. So I'll still listen. And we might as well talk -- it could make the time go a bit faster."

"Are you..." He pursed his lips, then glanced at her sidelong. "I really want Kodachi to pull through," he said quietly. After a pause, he turned to face her, shifting about in the seat. She felt her heart skip a beat when he shifted his free hand, clasping hers between his. "I'm worried that this will... That Kodachi won't be okay after this. That she won't be able to ... to run, or, or nothing."

"Me, too," Ukyou admitted. Her hip was sore, but with Ranma's help she was rehabilitating herself -- if slowly. She offered a weak smile, the strongest she could manage. "And you're worried about Akane getting in trouble for it?"

"That's part of it," Ranma admitted, looking away again. "But, I'm worried about Kodachi, too. I may just be learning this stuff, but she's a great help with our homework, and I didn't really, um, know her that well before." He flinched. "Sorry," he said quietly.

Ukyou bit her lip and looked away. Kodachi's plan was for the girls to all forgive Akane. "I hope that Kodachi's okay, too. And I hope that Akane doesn't end up in more trouble, either. I mean..." She trailed off and bit her lip, looking at the hand Ranma had clasped. "I ... think that ... as bad as it might sound, what Akane did was kind of inevitable."

He flinched away, eyes widening.

"I ... I mean," Ukyou continued uneasily, "I don't think that violence should have been involved, but... Oh, Ranchan. I don't think you know how much we care about you! When Akane said I had to fight her or give up on you, I wasn't happy, but I knew what she meant -- and I couldn't give up on you." Her face colored, and she pulled her hand free of his grasp, clasping her hands in her lap. "It's kind of funny," she added in a quiet voice. "I don't think she could admit it, but Akane really liked you, too."

"She had a really funny way of showing it," Ranma finally said. "I don't like to see you fight each other."

"W...well, I guess what I'm trying to say is, I hope Kodachi is okay because if she is, then this has kind of been a good thing. We've gotten to spend more time with you... If... Oh..." She sighed and hung her head. Words were never her strong suit.

The boy rose from his seat, and then knelt before her, resting his hands on her knees and looking up into her eyes. "Ucchan," he said, smiling weakly, "if you can look back on this afterwards and think it was all okay, then I'll be really happy. I, uh..." He trailed off and looked to one side, not able to meet her gaze. "I guess I'm not so good at reading people ... but I always thought you were my friend. I guess I was right about that, at least. Thanks, Ucchan. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Then he rose and gave her a gentle hug, being careful not to jostle her hip. Her voice wandered off somewhere -- somewhere far away -- until he released her and sat back down at her side with a smile.

-1-

When she returned to the waiting room with tea, Shampoo wasn't entirely surprised to see that Ukyou was holding one of Ranma's hand. Of course, just because she had decided that war wasn't the answer, and that she would settle for being Ranma's friend ... didn't mean she was going to give up. Clearing her throat, she set the tea service in the seat next to Ukyou.

The okonomiyaki chef started upright, releasing Ranma's hand with a guilty expression. Ranma looked bewildered, and then away, bowing his head.

Well, Shampoo thought to herself, that didn't seem to help. "Tea!" she said in her sweetest voice, pouring a cup for each of them. After she took her own seat, opposite Ukyou, she sighed. "Anything happen?" she asked, nodding towards the doors leading deeper into the hospital.

"N...not yet," Ranma said, shivering.

"Something wrong?" Shampoo and Ukyou asked together, before their eyes met briefly.

"I just got a bad feeling, is all," Ranma mumbled, setting his empty teacup down. Shampoo gave Ukyou an encouraging nod, and then clasped the hand that was closest to her.

"Will be okay," Shampoo encouraged. "Doctors here is very good."

"I guess so," he said, unconvinced.

Ukyou hesitantly took his other hand. "We're all here for her," she said softly. "Right?"

"Y...yeah," Ranma managed, smiling weakly, glancing between the girls before his gaze sank to his feet. He gave their hands reassuring squeezes and said, "You're really good friends, you know that? I mean... Uh, that is..."

Shampoo gave a smile she couldn't feel; she felt a sense of wrongness, too. Ukyou's expression betrayed that Shampoo and Ranma were not alone, before she forced a smile as well. "We're together. And as soon as Dachi-chan gets better-"

But that was when the door to the operating area open, and all three fell silent, holding their breaths. Tofu stepped into the room, casting a doubtful glance over his shoulder. Heaving a sigh, he strode towards Ranma, then stopped, rubbing his forehead with one hand. "Ranma," he said slowly, "I'm afraid I have some bad news."

Ranma's eyes were wide, and his breathing was growing erratic. Ukyou and Shampoo clung to him as much to reassure themselves as to show their support. "Wh...what's going on?" Ranma asked, his voice hitching. "Is Kodachi going to be okay?"

"She's going to live," Tofu reassured the three, massaging his temples with his head bowed. "But there has been a complication. It's ... probably actually better to find out now, rather than later. However, it seems that Kodachi had a very poor reaction with the first of the artificial vertebrae replacements. Worse, to install it, we had to remove the shattered vertebrae. Do you know what this means?"

"S...so," Ranma said, his voice unsteady, "she's going to be okay, but now she's going to be stuck in traction again, because it's not safe for her to move her back until that's taken care of?"

"That's right," Tofu agreed. "But now, she's going to have to recover while we consider alternatives. The remaining option at this point..." He hesitated, then glanced at Ukyou and Shampoo. "Understand that this would typically violate doctor-patient privacy rules ... but Kodachi wanted you all told everything if anything went wrong. The only option left to her at this point is to shave other bones, and then line her spine with the bone chips. Ideally, those would then heal-"

"Fused solid," Ranma interjected. "So ... you're saying that ... unless there's some sort of miracle..." He swallowed, unable to continue. Shampoo and Ukyou exchanged an unsteady glance. "She's never going to be able to fight or do gymnastics again."

"This doesn't preclude a fully functional lifestyle," Tofu objected, though it sounded weak and hollow to Shampoo. In fact, she couldn't see the situation getting much worse. Not unless-

Again, rumination was interrupted by a door slamming open. This one leading outside, to the exit. Standing in the entryway, dripping wet, with dirty and torn clothing, was Tendo Akane. She raised her head, water clinging to her hair, spilling across her face like tears. "Am I in time?" she asked in a hesitant, wavering voice. She flinched away at the sight of Ranma between Ukyou and Shampoo, bowing her head.

"W...what are you doing here?" Ranma half asked, half snarled. Shampoo could feel the boy's tension through their clasped hands, and bit her lip.

"I brought this," Akane said weakly, holding out a small plastic container of green goop. "From Ryugenzawa."

The energy charging Ranma abruptly flickered, changed. And Shampoo found something else to worry about.

-2-

He was confused. So, since he hadn't had much time to himself lately, he took a day off. Shampoo was helping Uykou out at her restaurant. Kodachi was still asleep, thanks to the medications she was on. Tofu had given Ranma a pager -- the doctor's own, as a matter of fact, but Tofu insisted he never used it. If Kodachi were to wake up, then it would let Ranma know.

But until that point, Ranma was free to throw away as much nervous energy as he could, until he calmed down. So he was roofhopping, taking the long, running leaps in a circuit around Nerima. It orbited the Tendo home at a radius of four blocks, the Neko-hanten and Ucchan's Okonomiyaki in a two-block figure-eight, and then a long loop all the way to Nerima General, which he circled at a respectful three block radius.

He was on his seventh lap, trying to vary his course, when he spotted a familiar looking tent in an abandoned clearing. "Perfect," he muttered, altering his route. Ryouga was always dependable for a good, wearying sparring match. He landed in front of the stove, then froze, blinking.

Not what he had expected.

A kid who was about ten years too young to be Ryouga looked up in surprise. He was dressed in an oversized shirt, but otherwise... "Hibiki?" Ranma asked, squinting at the bandanna.

"Y...yeah!" the kid admitted, nodding. "But... I'm surprised you recognized me, Saotome."

Ranma blinked again. Why was it that when the universe gave him what he expected, it somehow delivered it in an unexpected manner? A furtive part of his mind tried to expect a miracle cure for Kodachi, but he squelched it. He was looking for a distraction, and one showed up. "So ... what, you pissed off some witch, or something, Ryouga?" He sank to a sitting position on the opposite side of the stove Ryouga was using to heat his water.

Ryouga scowled.

-3-

After he'd finished relating the entire story to Ranma, Ryouga settled back on his heels while Ranma looked thoughtful. "Funny," he finally said. "Normally, I'd offer to try and help out, maybe see if the Tendo family could take you in for a bit, but right now, I dunno what to say." He shook his head. "Wait. Tofu-sensei might have an idea." He stood up and dusted his hands on his knees. "Anyway, it's probably best that someone helps you out and keeps an eye on those mushrooms. Who knows what could go wrong with your wandering habit?"

Ryouga winced. But for once, Ranma was being less of a jerk than usual. Still... "I couldn't let Akane-san see me like this," he mumbled. "Who's Tofu-sensei?"

"The doctor who's helping out the girls Akane beat up," Ranma said absently. Then he shook his head again. "Okay, kiddo. Pack up -- I'll take you to Tofu-sensei."

"I'm not a kid!" Ryouga protested, growling internally when he reflexively stuck his lip out with his complaint. "S...stop treating me like one," he sniveled. What an annoying curse! It was worse than Ranma! ...especially since Ranma was being -- oddly -- helpful, for once.

"Yeah, well... Anyway, he should be finished looking at the moss of life by now. And I need to find out if there's enough there for Kodachi." Ranma shrugged and began breaking down Ryouga's campsite, packing everything away swiftly.

Before he could really raise a complaint, Ryouga found himself tucked under one of Ranma's arms as the larger and (now) older boy hurtled through the sky towards this Tofu character. Shortly, they landed before a tiny clinic, and Ranma led him inside.

The interior was brightly lit, welcomingly so, and a bespectacled man that Ryouga vaguely recognized was going over some ancient looking pieces of paper at his desk. "Hello, Ranma-kun," he said, raising his head. "Oh, is this a friend of yours?"

"Long story short, cursed aging mushrooms," Ranma offered. "This is Hibiki Ryouga, and he's actually the same age as me."

"I don't think they're cursed. Just ... you know ... aging mushrooms," Ryouga muttered. "I have some in my backpack."

"Well," Tofu said, raising an eyebrow. "That's an irony. Why don't you two take a seat? I'll get some tea."

When the doctor left, Ranma stretched and set Ryouga's pack on the floor. "What's this about Akane-san beating up other girls?" Ryouga asked, balling his hands into fists and placing them on his hips. He hoped he managed to make an imposing six-year-old.

Ranma grimaced and shook his head. "You'll find out," he muttered, sinking into one of the seats.

Usually, Ryouga would take this as the cue for violence against Ranma. But now Ranma was much larger, and Ryouga had to admit ... less of a jerk than usual. so he decided to let it slide. Especially since Ranma hadn't refused to explain, just deferred it. Still: "I expect to find out sooner-or-later," the young lost boy warned.

"I'm sure you will," Ranma returned flatly, giving Ryouga an annoyed glance.

Tofu returned then, giving each of the boys a teacup and sitting down. "Now," he said, turning to look at Ranma, "I've gone over what Akane brought back from Ryugenzwa-"

"Ryugenzawa!" Ryouga exclaimed, his heart hammering as he thought of Shinnosuke stealing Akane away again. "Why was she there?"

"Calm down," Ranma snapped, shooting Ryouga a scowl before his attention returned to the doctor.

Tofu cleared his throat. "Yes," he continued. "Ryugenzawa. At any rate, I've gone over what she brought back, and while it does have miraculous properties, there isn't enough for Kodachi. According to the papers that Koh-Lon and I could find, the moss of life can restore broken bones, and even grow new ones. But it takes a significant amount, and ... well ... unfortunately, since we removed the damaged vertebrae already, we can't mend them now. The hospital disposed of them since they had initially assumed they weren't required."

Ryouga's head swam. He vaguely remembered Kodachi -- a dangerous, scary girl who didn't like Akane. How had she become so badly injured?

"Damn," Ranma swore, massaging the bridge of his nose with one hand and bowing his head. "Damn! So there's nothing we can do? Can we... Can we use some of it, and get more later?"

"We might, I suppose," Tofu hesitantly agreed. "But then, she'd still be in traction until everything was taken care of. Aside from which, the hospital staff is unlikely to cooperate with us without proof. And proof would end up costing us more of the moss. And then they might appropriate it, and then there would be other problems. If we were to do it, we would need Kodachi transfered into private care -- presumably, here. And then I could do it. But I don't know if she would be able to be as comfortable here as she would be at the hospital."

"Oh, damn it all," Ranma groaned.

Ryouga's bewilderment increased; why would he rub his eyes? It wasn't like Ranma could be ... crying ... was it? And certainly not over Kodachi?

"It's not hopeless, though I have to admit, the new possibility is also a concern," Tofu offered hesitantly. "Now, the issue is mass. Relative mass. If Kodachi were younger -- say, a six-year-old girl ... then the moss would easily account for her bone-mass."

Ranma jerked upright, his eyes widening. "Is... Would..." He turned to look at Ryouga. "How are you feeling?"

"What does this have to do with me?" he asked in confusion. "And, anyway, what happened to Kodachi?"

"Akane," Ranma answered. "Akane broke Shan-chan's arm, Ucchan's hip, and Kodachi's back."

The room spun briefly, before Ryouga snorted. "Then, they shouldn't have attacked her," he declared.

Ranma was on his feet in an instant, but Tofu was faster, and pushed Ranma back into his seat. Ryouga frowned to see that even though the doctor pushed Ranma ... it was only because Ranma let him. Who was this doctor, then, to be so important that Ranma would let him be pushed around like that? Ranma didn't even let his own father tell him what to do, outside of training.

"Let's discuss that later," Tofu said softly. "This is a serious issue. Now, if Kodachi is reduced to the age of a six-year-old, then we could use the moss -- in addition, as a six-year-old, she would heal faster. Children do. But before we do that, we need to find out if she's willing to become six years old and start over again."

"I think she'd do it," Ranma said, as the doctor returned to his seat. "I'd ask her first, though."

"Of course."

"It's not permanent," Ryouga said, shaking his head. "Eat a bigger mushroom, and you turn back to your proper age. It's just taking a while to grow one that's sixteen centimeters."

"That sounds better. But this still isn't without risks. Ranma, I want you to ask Koh-Lon about this, and get her opinion."

"Okay. I'm going to-" Ranma cut off as a beeping sound began to echo from his pocket. He fumbled for a moment with some electronic device before smiling. "Okay. I'll go to the hospital first-"

"No," Tofu said, shaking his head. "Koh-Lon first. If it's dangerous, Kodachi will need to know. And I think it might be."

"Right," Ranma said, handing the device to Tofu, who pressed a button to silence it. "Okay, Sensei. Um ... can I ask you to help keep an eye on Ryouga?"

Tofu's eyes turned from Ranma to the young lost boy. "I'll find somewhere he can stay," he said genially. "Now go along, Ranma." And with that, he was gone.

Ryouga frowned. "I guess you want some of the mushrooms?"

"Certainly," Tofu agreed. "I'll want to study them. And if you need them grown, I just happen to be able to do that here."

"Okay," Ryouga said unenthusiastically. "I guess I'm staying with you?"

"Oh, I know somewhere you might be able to stay more comfortably," Tofu said with a smile.

-4-

Cologne crossed her arms over her chest after hearing Ranma's frenzied explanation. The doctor's plan was a bit odd, and not at all something she'd expected him to stumble across... The aging mushrooms, of all things! Such a dangerous, tempting thing to have lying around.

She'd never expected to run into them twice in her life. "Take a seat," she advised. "Tea?"

"No thanks," Ranma answered, taking a seat as ordered. The Neko-Hanten had reduced its hours of operation so that Shampoo could help Ukyou out. Cologne had more than enough money without the restaurant, but it was starting to look bad running it as few hours as she did. And she couldn't use Ranma to help out, since he'd taken so many other obligations up. What time they did have together was devoted to learning herbs and cures ... and much to her delight, Shampoo had started teaching Ranma Chinese.

He was rough, but a quick learner when driven. A bit overcautious, but she'd rather that than too headstrong, especially in the field of medicine. Still, her plans had involved corralling Kodachi into helping out by offering a Joketsuzoku answer to her injury. Something far beyond Ranma's skill level at the moment ... but the doctor's proposed solution would save that trinket for a more needed day.

She sighed. "I believe that if Tofu and I work together," she said cautiously, "then we can make a compound. The real issue here is that it won't be safe for Kodachi to resume her own age until she's fully healed. We can do what we can, but that's going to be at least two months. So she has to be willing to stay a child for that long. The mushrooms on their own won't cause injuries, but reducing someone's age, healing them and then aging them... Too much stress, too many energies at once. One thing at a time, and then I think it's safe to say that we can do it." And if something went wrong, well, Cologne still had that ace up her sleeve -- so to speak.

Ranma sagged visibly, giving her a grateful smile.

"However," she cautioned. "You're going to need to keep an eye on her. And aside from the medical issues ... there are the social and political issues. No one is going to believe that Kuno Kodachi has suddenly turned into a child. So-"

"Tofu had some ideas about that," Ranma said dismissively. "And I bet she'll have more. Okay. Um ... I'm going to go get Shan-chan and Ucchan, then go tell Kodachi."

"Good plan," she agreed, smiling ruefully. She'd call the doctor herself ... the boy's heart was in the right place.

-5-

"S...so," Ranma said, his hands trembling faintly with nervous energy, "if ... you're willing to try it, then we might be able to do something after all."

"Great-Grandmother says Kodachi spend two months as child?" Shampoo asked, cocking her head to one side and considering. "Where Kodachi stay?"

"With me!" Ukyou said quickly. "I mean, um, Ranchan's got to keep an eye on me anyway, and I'm sure my place will be better than having to deal with her nutjob brother, right?"

"W...wait," Ranma protested, shaking his head. "Kodachi has to agree to this first, and-"

"I have no clothes that fit younger Kodachi," Shampoo said slowly.

"Good point," Ukyou said, nodding, "'Dachi-chan, you should see if you can get some of your old clothes from your family, first."

"I could do that," Kodachi admitted, her cheeks coloring faintly. "But many of my older outfits are in poor repair."

"No sweat!" Ukyou cheered from her seat at the foot of Kodachi's bed. "I'm good with a needle."

"Well, in that case, I think I will undertake this procedure, then," Kodachi agreed.

Ranma bit his lip, then snorted and shook his head. "Alright," he said with a sigh. "If that's what you want. Tofu-sensei?"

"Right," the doctor said with a wince. "Well, this is going to be a bit tricky. First, Kuno-san, we're going to need to transfer you to a private care ward -- that will be my clinic. After that, we will administer the aging mushroom, and apply the moss of life. Based on my studies, you'll need to be careful, but will be able to move freely as soon as a week has passed. Still, I want you to be very careful."

"Then," Kodachi said slowly, her eyes lingering on Ranma for a moment before going to Tofu, "I will be able to walk again in a week. These last two months have been difficult ... but I will welcome this change."

"Very well," Tofu agreed with a nod. "But then, if you want to speak with your family, you'd probably best do that first. It may become difficult to explain your situation to them after you become a child again."

"I'd honestly rather they didn't know about this at all," Kodachi said with a grimace. "I will speak to my brother, because I cannot defend myself from my father, and it would be good to have my old clothes."

"Defend yourself?" Tofu asked cautiously, eyes widening.

"My hair," Kodachi clarified.

"Her dad's got a weird thing about haircuts," Ranma offered with a shrug. "Anyway, Kodachi, do you want me here when you talk to Tatewaki?"

"I might like that," Kodachi admitted, her blush returning, her eyes unable to meet his.

"And then you can stay with Ranchan and I," Ukyou said, smiling brightly. "When we're at school, Shan-chan can keep an eye on you. We'll be like one big happy family!"

"Family," Kodachi murmured, her eyes losing focus, looking distant.

"Say," Shampoo said with a frown. "Where did the age-changing mushrooms come from, anyway?"

Ranma shrugged, saying, "I ran into Ryouga, and he's the one who'd actually found 'em."

"Really? Where is he, anyway?"

Biting his lip, the boy raised an eyebrow and turned a questioning glance at Tofu. The doctor chuckled, shaking his head. "He's in good hands," he assured the girls. "Now, Kodachi, I'll arrange for your brother to visit, if you'd like."

-6-

Ryouga rubbed his shoulder. He didn't really know Tofu terribly well, but he was sure that the doctor was usually gentler when Kasumi wasn't around. Still, he had nothing to complain about. Ranma wasn't staying with the Tendo family anymore, which meant that Akane was free of him -- finally. The only problem with Ryouga confessing his feelings to her at the moment was due to the fact that he was only around a meter tall.

And, irritatingly, as time began to wear on, Ryouga found himself occasionally slipping into childlike habits. Still, Kasumi was more than capable of keeping an eye on him. "Will Akane-san be home soon?" he asked.

Kasumi looked up from the soap-opera, which Ryouga found boring beyond belief. He'd much rather watch ... pretty much anything, really. Anything at all. Except maybe some of those girly animes. Those were too much like the soap opera he was already watching.

Pursing her lips, the eldest Tendo daughter looked at the clock on the wall. "She should be getting out of school in just a bit," she said. "But it takes a few minutes longer to walk home. I would say in about twenty minutes, Ryo-chan."

One of Ryouga's eyebrows ticked. 'Ryo-chan' was going to take adjusting to. What an irritating moniker. He could hardly wait to outgrow it. At least that Tofu character was growing the mushrooms that would eventually cure him. Still, once Akane was back, he'd be able to talk to her, and could ignore the stupid show that Kasumi enjoyed.

"Thank you," he said, quietly, before going back to glaring at the screen. The worst part about it all, he thought, was that he had to read the subtitles to even understand what was going on. Stupid foreign shows.

Kasumi sighed at the exchange between two characters on the screen, shaking her head and 'tsk'ing. "So," Ryouga asked, squinting, "why does that lady dislike that guy so much?"

"Oh!" Kasumi said, smiling brightly at Ryouga as the show cut to a commercial break. "Well, that lady is Erica Kane, and..."

Ryouga had the brief apprehension that he had just gotten himself into some sort of terrible trouble. He vowed right then and there that he'd do his level best to avoid ever watching another episode of 'The Young and the Restless' as long as he lived.

-7-

Changing schools mid-semester had been an awkward, embarrasing proposition. For one thing, while she occasionally passed her friends on the the way to school or back home, she didn't share classes with them anymore. That turned out to be a bigger upset than she had initially expected.

Moreover, while she'd never bothered explaining to her new classmates why she had transfered, rumors got around anyway. Much to her surprise, since Kodachi had also left, this actually generated Akane a small bit of rather embarassing celebrity.

Kodachi had not been terribly popular with any of her classmates, outside of those who worked with her in the Rythmic Gymnastics club. And even they weren't unhappy to see the end of the Kuno girl. Unfortunately, the newfound fame and congratulations were more a source of shame and embarrassment to Akane than anything else.

Even if they wanted to cheer her on for 'putting that prissy so-and-so in her place', Akane heard every word echoed by one of Ranma's last words to her. And that figured into her thinking more heavily than anything else.

Still, after the first two weeks she'd settled in well enough. The school was out of reach of Happosai's reign of terror, at least, usually. He was an occasional nuicance, and only actually showed up once, so far. And some of her classes were a bit further ahead, some further behind, which made struggling to catch up a bit of a chore. But her new classmates were happy to help her with after-class study sessions to help their 'hero idol' catch up.

Akane tried to accept their help as little as possible, in light of that, which ended up giving her a reputation as a very humble, honest girl. She hadn't expected that, but the rumor mill had a way of distorting things. They all saw her enrollment as a prize for beating Kodachi. She doubted any of them actually knew how badly Kodachi had been hurt, but didn't want to talk about it, either.

The rest of the rumors, which made her wince, were only reinforced after she was banned from home economics. She was a tough martial artist girl who had lost her fiancee to Kodachi, and after winning the fight, still hadn't gotten him back. Her consolation was enrollment at the prestigious St. Hebereke.

She walked through the gate, nodding at the headmistress as she oversaw the entrance. Presumably to keep boys out, and maintain the student's purity. Akane doubted the elderly woman could do much more to ward anyone off than complain feebly, but still gave what cheer she could in a smile. The woman smiled back.

After school, of course, and a contributing factor to her supposed humility, since it precluded joining any clubs, she had training. Three days a week were spent with Genma, who assured her continually he was going easier on her than Ranma. That meant essentially long hours of humiliation while Soun stood by and sobbed.

Aggravating as that was. Two days a week were spent with her father and Happosai, which she'd rather avoid ... but the old man did little more than lecture her on martial philosophy, while her father firmed up her basics. One day a week was to be spent with Nodoka, who was certain she could teach Akane too cook, sew, and other important duties for brides.

Akane was less certain than Nodoka that this would be successful, especially at winning Ranma back. But it had been part of Cologne's plan, after the Ryugenzwa expedition, so she was stuck with it. The last day would be hers alone, and so far she planned to spend most of it sleeping to recover from the week's work.

"Apologizing is hard work," she sighed to herself, realizing she'd spent the entire walk home in a dark funk contemplating her limited free time. "Saotome-no-ojisan?" she called cautiously. Sometimes, he didn't wait for her to change, insisting that a true martial artist had to be prepared to defend themselves at any time.

Those were the worst, because they were inevitably followed by Kasumi chastising her about taking poor care of her clothes. At least, she thought, as she stepped inside and kicked off her shoes, she didn't have to worry about Kuno Tatewaki anymore. "I'm home!" she called out, hearing Kasumi deep in conversation, one-sided as it sounded, about one of her favorite American shows.

"Oh, Akane-chan! You must meet our guest -- Tofu-sensei said that Ranma asked you to take care of him!"

Akane frowned, putting her hands on her hips. This would be interesting.

-

Author's Notes: I always liked Janet best. Didn't like how they wrote her out last time, though. :\


	9. Phase 9

Unfair Warning: Phase Nine 

A metafiction by Brian Randall

Disclaimer: Original source is Ranma 1/2, which is the property and creation of Rumiko Takahashi. Her paints, my easel, and the brush is borrowed without permission (hence this disclaimer) from Kenko and Chris Jones, as this metafic is inspired by 'Fair Warning' and 'The Tomboy Solution'.

Note: Fans of the above fics will probably not enjoy the effects of this one. Consider yourselves warned. Divergence. You'll know it when you see it.  
------------------------------------------------------

-0-

Arms crossed over her chest, Akane stared at the young Ryouga in confusion. "Ranma asked me to watch over him?" she asked, tearing her eyes away from the bashful Ryouga (dressed in some of her own childhood clothes) to regard her sister.

"Tofu-sensei said it would be a favor to him," Kasumi said with a tiny shrug. "So, I don't mind watching him while you're at school, or training. But if you can watch him while I'm tending the house, then everything should be taken care of!"

"It's just temporary!" Ryouga protested. "And, I'm not a little kid!"

"Of course not, Ryo-chan," Kasumi agreed, patting him on the head. "Now, would you like to help Auntie Kasumi in the kitchen? I'll give you a cookie!"

"Yay! Cookies-- I mean, hey! Stop that!" Ryouga tried not to pout, and Akane was hard-pressed not to laugh aloud. This was certainly easier to deal with than the cursed dougi. Was that Ranma's message? Was this some kind of test on his part? She had delivered the moss, after all. Maybe he was going to give her another chance?

"You're going to need to listen to, er, Auntie Kasumi," Akane said with a tiny giggle she couldn't quite keep down. "After all, I've got classes, so I can't be here all day. Now, Ryo-chan, why don't you tell me just how you got turned into a child?" Was it Ranma's doing? It would be just like him to foist the responsibility off onto her, if he had. She savagely beat that thought down -- Ranma was taking responsibility for what she had done; she couldn't simply accuse him of wrong any time it seemed convenient.

"Magic mushrooms," Ryouga pouted. "But Tofu said that he'd give me some to turn me back as soon as they grew enough."

"I suppose that makes sense," Akane agreed. "Anyway. If I'm supposed to take care of you, I wonder what that means?"

"Well, he has gotten lost twice already," Kasumi warned. "He needs to be walked to the bathroom. Once, he ended up at the Yamada's house, and the second time I got a call from the conductor of the Minato-Chiba line.

"He does get lost easily," Akane mused.

Ryouga sniffled, staring at the floor in dismay.

"Er... But, that's okay! We can go for walks together. Won't that be fun, Ryo-kun? Maybe I can teach you your way around, so you can always find your way back to the dojo!"

"Yay!" Ryouga cheered, jumping to his feet, then giving Akane a hug. How adorable, she thought to herself, ruffling her hair. "I'd love that!"

"Well, then don't you worry about a thing. With 'Auntie' Kasumi, and your big sister Akane keeping an eye out, you'll be kept totally safe!"

"S...sister?" Ryouga asked in a slightly shaking voice.

Aww... The poor thing was so touched by the chance of having a family. Akane belatedly remembered that Ryouga had hardly ever gotten to spend any time with his own, due to his hereditary poor direction sense. He was even moved to tears!

-1-

"Alright," Ranma muttered, glancing around Kodachi's room. She was once again wrapped in the ominous aparatus of the traction gear, only freed briefly for the failed surgery. "If... Well. Your brother and I don't get along so great. Maybe I should-"

"Stay, please?" Kodachi asked, her eyes imploring. "I have no desire to deal with him at all, to say nothing of doing so alone."

"Well, it is Tatewaki," Ranma agreed, giving her an apologetic smirk. Shampoo and Ukyou were both at Ukyou's, still, and Tofu was preparing his clinic to accommodate Kodachi. They couldn't very well try and smuggle out an apparent five-year old in traction, so they would adjust her age there. This also meant, even though Kodachi hadn't minded the idea, that she would be operated on there.

He was worried, but Kodachi insisted that she was unafraid, as long as Ranma was there to assist the doctor in their covert application of magical medication. But before that, Kodachi had agreed it would be a long while before she could actually speak with her father or brother. Therefore, she had -- with Ranma's help -- called up her older brother and requested a handful of keepsakes, and some spare clothing.

Ranma had thought she'd have servants to tend to that thing for her, but she explained somewhat bashfully that the Kuno family found it difficult to keep servants.

He was distracting himself, he realized. An easy habit before Akane had changed everything, but one that an aspiring doctor couldn't afford. He chuckled to himself, noting with a raised eyebrow how much tension faded from Kodachi's expression at the sound. A knock sounded at the door and he stiffened, turning as it opened and Tatewaki strode in.

The kendoka froze for a moment, eyes narrowing as he stared at Ranma. But instead of his usual fit of curses and accusations, he simply said, "You. I should have expected as much." Then he turned to face at his sister, though his head bowed, and he stared at the floor instead. A bouquet of flowers was in his left hand, which was trembling, balled almost into a fist. "My sister," he finally said, in a quiet, almost strangled voice.

"My brother," she replied coolly. "Come to the foot of the bed; I can't see you there."

He flinched, but nodded and did as instructed, even though it put him nearly shoulder-to-shoulder with Ranma. Then, he finally did raise his head, and Ranma stepped away, discomfited by the anguish in the older boy's eyes. "You are well?" he asked harshly, flinching at his own tone and looking to the floor again.

"As well as can be expected." Her responses were smooth, almost calculated. Ranma spent a moment admiring how collected she was, all things considered. "Ranma-sensei has been tending me quite carefully. Our family should be grateful to have a friend such as he."

Tatewaki's lip curled in a half sneer, but it died, and he slumped, thrusting the flowers towards Kodachi. "So you say," he replied quietly. "I worry at the fiend's reasoning. Tendo Akane..." His eyes closed, and he took a deep breath, the bouquet that Kodachi couldn't move to take falling to his side again. "It is difficult for father and I. He is quite displeased. It has been an epic struggle to keep his wrath at bay. Only your requests have averted disaster."

Kodachi said nothing, her eyes going to Ranma before she studied her brother.

"I wish to champion justice," he continued, eyes still shut. "I wish to believe in good, and beauty. Divine providence. I wish to think that good things are true, and that this... That somehow..."

"People make mistakes," Ranma said, shaking his head. "Kuno-sempai," he added, almost choking on the honorific, "no one is perfect. Not you, not me ... and not Akane."

Tatewaki flinched again, then his eyes opened, glaring at Ranma harshly.

"That doesn't mean that she can't make up for them," continued hastilly, trying to offer a placating smile. "nI fact, Akane went out of her way to try and find something that would help Kodachi out." Then he paused, as though something had occured to him. "Have you talked to her about it?"

"I have not," Tatewaki admitted, his glare weakening. "I have been..." He paused, pursing his lips thoughtfully. "Wary," he finally said.

Ranma thought the word was more like 'afraid,' but said, "Okay. Why don't you get her side of the story, then?"

"I am ashamed," Tatewaki sighed, rubbing his eyes. Rubbing tears away? Ranma tried not to think about it. "I call myself a champion of justice and truth, and rightness ... and it is you who guards her more truly than I could."

Ranma shifted his shoulders at that, aware of a sudden worry in Kodachi's expression. "Not like that," he protested quickly. "I mean, Akane's been trying to make up for it to 'Dachi-chan, Shan-chan, and Ucchan. And I..." He hesitated, then blurted out, "Right now I just want to make sure my friends are okay. I'm doing this for them, not her."

Kodachi's smile made Ranma wince all over again. "A...anyway, 'Dachi-chan needs to be moved to a private clinic so we can try and take better care of her," he said, clearing his throat. "I don't meant to chase you off or anything, but-"

"I understand," Tatewaki said solemnly, standing up to his full height. "Saotome, I have sorely misjudged your intent. Watch over my sister. I entrust you with this duty, and in exchange, I promise you I shall watch over Tendo Akane, as you no longer can."

"Now, hang on," Ranma began to protest, but not quickly enough.

The kendoka had recovered his full bearing, and turned to Kodachi again. "The things you have requested are here. Tofu-sensei took them from me at the door. I trust I will see you again when you are well."

"Your trust is well placed," Kodachi agreed. "Now go, my brother."

Head held high, Tatewaki marched from the room.

"He forgot to leave the flowers," Kodachi mused, once the door shut.

"He's probably on his way to give them to Akane," Ranma said with a sigh, shaking his head.

Kodachi was unable to avoid giggling at that.

-2-

Tofu was in Kodachi's mind a very good doctor. Possibly one of the best. One of the things he did that reassured her about his practice was his willingness to explain everything, with a minimum of fuss, and a level of confidence that allowed her to withstand the bad news he'd given her in the past. A level of confidence that told her as bad as things got, they would get better.

She admitted that she was biased -- heavily, no doubt -- by the fact that he was Ranma's teacher.

Even so, his explanation that he was not technically qualified for the surgery they were planning to perform didn't bother her. Ranma had complete confidence in the moss, and Kodachi knew it would take months -- perhaps years -- to get such a substance through any of the testing procedures required for it to be legitimized. Time for that later; she just wanted to get better.

So the explanation was simple enough. They'd give her one of the age-changing mushrooms, and reduce her age to five years old. Then, they would re-open the incision on her back from the failed surgery, and pack the wound with the moss of life. After that, the plan was to stitch her back up -- something Tofu was qualified for. Ranma had expressed doubt that this would required, since the moss would likely take care of that, and Tofu had countered with warnings of prudence.

All that remained, then, was for the operation to proceed. Before that, since the moss had come from Akane, she had just one last task to do, something she hadn't discussed with her new friends.

"Any other questions?" Tofu asked, looking up from the sheaf of notes he held in one hand, adjusting his spectacles with the other.

"I... I would like to say one thing before we begin," she said shyly, trying to force down her apprehension. She'd come to learn more of Ranma's true nature, over the last few weeks. Learned how noble he'd actually been, as compared to what she had expected he was. And it was different from her expectations ... better, in many ways. Ultimately, she realized that there was one thing she'd done which might truly offend him. One thing that she had left to admit and apologize for.

If it could be apologized for.

"Yeah?" Ranma asked, smiling at the doctor's side, hands in his pockets as he rocked back and forth slowly. "What is it, 'Dachi-chan?"

"B...before we..." She trailed off, unable to meet his eyes, and cleared her throat. Her face was heating up, and Tofu coughed pointedly, saying, "I'm going to make some tea. I'll be right back."

Ranma glanced over his shoulder at the doctor, then shrugged. "Well? What is it?"

"I... I made an error of judgement, and there... I should say that you are helping me under untrue pretenses," Kodachi said slowly, fear outweighing shyness, her blush fading.

"What?"

"It is not ... entirely the fault of Tendo Akane that I'm here," she said in a quiet voice.

"'Dachi-chan, what are you talkin' about? Akane already admitted it was her!"

"My injuries are the result of a battle with her," Kodachi agreed, "but the truth of the matter is... Ranma-sama, I apologize. In truth, it was I who challenged Tendo Akane after she defeated Ukyou-chan and Shan-chan."

She stole a glance at his face, apprehensive. He squinted at her, as though confused. "You challenged her? Why?"

"I... I thought she needed to be stopped," Kodachi said in a tiny voice. "I thought it was my responsibility to press her, even when she said she did not wish to fight me." Then she took a deep breath. "And I thought, she was unsettled enough by what she had done, that... That was my best chance to win..." Her eyes closed, unable to look at him as she managed to finish: "To win you."

He said nothing, and she screwed her eyes shut, feeling the hot tears trickling down. He was noble, she told herself. True nobility, unlike her own petty line. He deserved someone better than her -- Ukyou-chan, or Shan-chan... They'd do well for him. And who was she kidding, anyway, trying to stay in his good graces so long? Realistically, hadn't she just been taking advantage of her injuries to keep him near? To keep the other girls united against Akane?

"S...so," he finally said, his voice uneven, "she wanted to back down, and you made her fight?"

"Yes," she said quietly.

"I..." He sighed, and when she looked, he was rubbing at the bridge of his nose, his eyes shut. "I don't want you fighting," he said miserably. "That's why..."

Tofu coughed as he slipped through the doorway. "Not interrupting anything, I hope?" he asked with a genial smile. He held the tray of teacups out for Ranma. "Won't you be a gentleman," he asked, before either Ranma or Kodachi could answer, "and help the lady with her cup?"

"Uh, 'course," Ranma said with a start, taking one of the teacups carefully. He held it to her lips, taking advantage of the moment to wipe away the tears Tofu hadn't noticed. Or had simply politely pretended not to notice.

After a single sip, she murmured her appreciation, and insisted that she'd had enough. Though, that wasn't terribly true -- she missed tea, and being able to drink it on her own. The hospital had put her on a liquid diet to spare her the indignity of being fed, by and large. Straws worked quite well.

Still, the tension hadn't lessened in the slightest, so Kodachi finally blurted out, "I'm sorry, Ranma-sama! It's my fault, all of this, but I... I have become spoiled, and am undeserving of your kindness."

"It ain't like that," Ranma countered, shaking his head. "She could have stopped you without hurting you. I've fought you before, so I know how good you are. And I know how good she was. She didn't have to do this to you," he said, gesturing at the traction gear. "Maybe, if that's all it is, you can forgive her. I mean, Shan-chan did, so..." He shrugged. "But that doesn't bother me."

"Though it does, in truth, make her less of a villain than you had been led to believe," Kodachi protested.

Ranma scratched his head and rocked back on his heels, pensive. "Tofu-sensei?" he asked abruptly, turning to the bespectacled man. "I got a question for you."

"I'm sure you do," the doctor replied, sipping his tea and raising an eyebrow. "Which one is it?"

"Is there something that makes people feel guiltier than they should when they're about to get better?"

Tofu snorted, then set his cup down. "It's an acute attack of conscience, Ranma."

"I don't think it's anything so simple!" Kodachi protested, cheeks coloring. "I simply feel that I owe Ranma-sama the entire truth; after all he's done for me, it would be shameful to give him anything less!"

"Oh?" Tofu asked, quirking the same eyebrow slightly higher. "Do you know why?"

"Because I want him to be able to like me enough to still let me be his friend after this is all over!" she cried, tears filling her eyes again.

"And, why?" Tofu asked, smiling.

"Sensei," Ranma began, uncertain, "maybe-"

"Now, now," the doctor said, still smiling. "There's truth you want to tell, Kodachi? If it wasn't your prior admission, then what was it?"

Kodachi felt a pained twinge of embarrassment; the doctor had heard everything after all. Summoning up her stubborn pride, she shot the doctor the most haughty glare she could manage from her current position, and said, "I want to be able to tell Ranma-sama that I love him, and hope that after what I've done he..." Then she realized what the doctor had goaded her into saying, and fell abruptly silent, her cheeks flaming.

Ranma looked embarrassed, too, his face red as he pointedly looked away. "Um," he said with a cough. "Um, so. Sensei..."

"Right," the doctor said, shaking his head. "Well, back to business, then."

-3-

The operation was simple, and successful. No worry about precise placement of needles, or applications of sutures. Simply a few incisions in Kodachi's younger body, liberal application of the magic moss, and then some stitches to close the wounds back up. Much to the relief of both Tofu and Ranma, the moss immediately began to take the form of the missing vertebrae, though it was slow enough that the doctor judged the girl would need to spend time in traction, regardless.

Once she was properly bandaged, Shampoo and Ukyou ushered Ranma and Tofu from the room to properly dress the girl in one of her old outfits, a simple dark sun-dress, appropriate for her younger self.

Ranma found that, once her makeup was washed up, and she was reduced to being five, she was really adorable. Though, he wondered how much of that came from her recent admission, and the fact that she was still asleep.

He tried to sort that out as he lounged on the roof of the clinic, sorting things out. He'd gotten admissions from Ukyou, Shampoo, and Kodachi about the fact that they loved him. Akane had kind of managed to say that she did, too, but...

He lowered his head, sighing. No use trying not to think about it anymore. It had been simple to just look at the damage she'd done, and her behavior for a single moment, and judge her by it. In fact, when he thought about it, that was how she'd often judged him. But did that make it right? He somehow doubted it.

And then, Akane had apologized to Shampoo. He thought it was heartfelt, too, though it stabbed at his heart to watch her admission. She hadn't apologized to Ukyou yet, but he suspected that would be coming. The moss she'd gathered suggested that, well enough.

Still, how much of that was Akane's doing? How much was the unsubtle guiding hand of his father, and how much could he trust that? Whatever else had happened, the last weeks taking care of Shampoo, Ukyou, and Kodachi had taught him something he'd never had time to realize before. All three girls were good friends. It wasn't just that Ukyou was a good cook, or that Shampoo had access to untold herbal lore, or that Kodachi had helped push his grades up from 'Yakuza-finishing-school' to 'college hopeful'...

But without Akane to berate him or accuse him of things he wasn't doing ... he liked them. He liked spending time with them. And it had started out of anger at Akane, when it wasn't a protective impulse to keep the girl from getting herself into worse trouble than she could handle. But with so much time passing, and all of them getting along...

He had no idea what to do about the situation. He knew he liked the girls, but love? He felt for them all -- differently. Ukyou's tenderness, Shampoo's hidden softer side, Kodachi's insightful observations and suggestions to maintain the peace...

...but he couldn't stop thinking about Akane's smile. How once, long ago, after a wearying, cursed, friendless trip back from China, there was once a girl who said, "Hey, let's be friends."

He'd tried to concentrate on just taking care of the three she had injured ... but with Kodachi's last admission, he wondered how right it was to blame her. Cologne had said it wasn't the dougi; it was just the power going to Akane's head. But if she'd tried to stop before Kodachi...

It didn't justify what Kodachi had suffered. It didn't even justify what Shampoo had suffered, even if the Chinese girl had gotten off lightest -- from what he could tell. But what did it say about what Akane had suffered?

He shook his head. No point thinking that. The girls had every reason be angry at Akane's lapse in judgement. But then... Shampoo had forgiven her. Kodachi didn't seem to blame her. Hell, his father even expected him -- somehow -- to marry the Tendo girl!

But ... did he want to? Was the feeling he'd held -- and that still flickered in some capacity despite his efforts to ignore it -- the same as his feelings for the other girls? Or was it something else, maybe even something stronger?

"I'm going to hell," he decided, putting his head in his hands.

With Tofu's direction, Kodachi's traction frame had been adjusted by Ranma's self-proclaimed nurse, and they'd carefully put the girl back into it. Ukyou was thankful that she was on crutches; the young Kodachi was so terribly adorable, she could barely resist the urge to hug her like a doll. She made a mental note to defend Kodachi to the death against Azusa, should the kleptomaniacal skater come anywhere near the young Kuno girl.

Shampoo glanced her way after setting the last of the traction gear in place, then smirked as though reading her mind. "But," she said in a low voice, pitched so Tofu wouldn't hear, "is okay cuteness -- Airen not like little girls like that, Shampoo think."

Ukyou giggled quietly and nodded. "That's for sure," she whispered back.

"She should be waking shortly," Tofu notified the pair in soft tones. "Since she's just had a fairly major operation, I expect she'll be very sleepy for the next few days. Of course, this moss could prove more effective ... but I still think it would be best to keep her in the frame for at least a week -- just to be sure."

Tofu checked the wall clock, then smiled softly. "I'll let you visit for a bit," he said, nodding at them. "Ukyou-san, once Ranma comes back, we'll be taking a look at your hip again."

"O...okay," Ukyou said, unable to keep a quaver from her voice at that. It was very embarassing, stripping down to just her panties so that Ranma could examine her hip ... but for him, she didn't mind. And Tofu seemed like some kindly old uncle, so she could handle that, too -- especially since he was very professional.

"Until then, I've got some other patients coming in." He nodded curtly, then ambled to the front room of the clinic, leacing the three girls alone.

Kodachi made a quiet noise, and then her eyes slowly blinked open, somewhat glazed, but clearing. "W...was it a dream?" she asked in a childish voice. "Wh..." But her question died unspoken, the traction frame restraining her.

Shampoo was already at the foot of the bed, and Ukyou quickly worked her way there, too. "A good dream, maybe," Ukyou said, smirking. "It looks like everything's going to be okay. Well, Tofu-sensei wants you to stay in bed for another week, but it seems good otherwise."

The Chinese girl nodded. "How is your head?" she asked. "You thinking okay?"

"I'm as much myself as I ever was," Kodachi said with a tiny, imperial sniff that made Ukyou want to giggle again. So adorable!

Shampoo clasped her hands together beneath her chin and blurted out, "Chibi-Dachi-chan is too, too cute! Now Shampoo wants a girl just like her!"

Kodachi's face reddened, and her lower lip stuck out in a defiant pout. "I am as much as I ever was!" she repeated insistantly. "I assure you my mind has not been dulled by being made younger, just as most medications don't dull my wit either!" Then, seeming against her will, she admitted, "Even if I really crave ice-cream."

Ukyou snickered, shaking her head, but forcing herself to sober quickly. "Dachi-chan," she said, "we need to figure things out, here. Um ... what does this mean, since Akane got the moss for you? How does this change things?"

Kodachi's pout faded, shifting to a pensive consideration. "I, personally, am in her debt," she said quietly. "Without Akane injuring me, I would not be this close to Ranma-chama." Ukyou bit her lip to avoid laughing again at Kodachi's adoption of the more childish form of 'sama'. "Without her retrieving this moss, I would not have hope of fighting again. She is a double-edged sword, and has cut me with both."

Recovering her bearing, Shampoo cleared her throat and recovered her Japanese. "Well, we need to think what Akane plans next. Or what the panda and the pervert plan for her," she warned.

"Good point," Ukyou said, frowning. "Well, we already guessed she was going to apologize to me. And we agreed that I should forgive her... But, what then? What happens when I do?"

"She trains with Ranma-chama," Kodachi said slowly. "And maybe gets to be good friends with her again. And maybe more."

"And how do we compete?" Shampoo asked, raising an eyebrow. "We agreed to a truce, and I don't want to break it with you like..." She nodded her head at Kodachi.

"This form is not appropriate to pleasing Ranma-chama," the Kuno girl agreed, her face glowing red.

"But Akane isn't part of our truce at all," Ukyou said with a furrowed brow. "Well, let's think about things. You're staying here until Tofu lets you out of the traction frame, but then you'll have to stay this young for a while ... and that's going to give Akane a lot of time to make up lost ground."

"I will start training with Ranma," Shampoo suggested. "Things Akane cannot show him ... Great-Grandmother has been teaching many pressure points."

"But that won't take up all of his time," Ukyou said, shaking her head. "If he wants to see her, then there's no way we can keep him from visiting her without making it obvious. So ... unless we want to look bad, we pretty much have to accept it."

"Maybe it is time to let the truce slide a little," Kodachi said pensively. "As I've said, this form," and her free hand gestured towards her smaller body, "is not appropriate for... Well. But that doesn't mean that I can't get him used to being near us."

"So, what," Ukyou asked, narrowing her eyes, "you think you can get away with hugging him because you'll be a kid?"

"And then it only makes it natural that you'll want the same thing, which would, of course, be a bit different," Kodachi said slowly, before she suddenly yawned. "Mmm. I'm tired." She blinked. "That is, I am tired," she corrected herself. "But if we all agree, it's quite simple ... and Tendo Akane is unlikely to allow Ranma-chama such liberties, if my memory of her behavior..." she trailed off with another yawn, then sleepily finished, "serves."

"It's something to think about," Ukyou allowed, glancing at Shampoo, who nodded. "Well, you rest up, and we'll see about working something out."

"Mmm," Kodachi hummed, her eyes drifting closed.

"Well," Shampoo said, frowning at the apparently slumbering girl. "I have one question, though."

"What's that?" Ukyou asked, cocking her head to one side.

"If we do this ... we try to keep Ranma near and comf...com..."

"Comfortable?"

"Yes, that word. If we do this, then what happens when the truce is up?" The girl in the nurse's outfit shivered, looking at Ukyou with obvious worry in her face. "It will be hard to be Airen's friend if he does not choose me, I think."

Ukyou bit her lip and looked at Kodachi. But the sleeping girl didn't have an answer. Still, even if she did, Ukyou thought, would it be to everyone's benefit? Or just Kodachi? At some point, it was going to come back down to every-girl-for-herself. A unified front would probably win Ranma away from Akane ... but for who? And was it worth it to try and win Ranma just to keep him away from Akane?

She rubbed at her eyes. "Damn," she muttered. "This is going to suck."

"Will be no fighting, at least," Shampoo said with a sigh.

Ukyou nodded glumly, half-wishing that a decisive final combat could settle things. It might be violent, but it would be a quick, conclusive end. No, she told herself, one hand going to her hip. That hadn't helped, anyway. No matter what happened, Ukyou thought, feelings were going to be hurt.

"Let's enjoy it while we can," Ukyou decided with a tight smile. "Right now we've got good friends, and... And, well, we do have Ranchan, as much as we can. That'll do for now."

"Even if these are the best days we have," Shampoo murmured.

"Even if," Ukyou agreed with a sigh.

-  
Author's notes: Mmm. Intro-specty. Needs more chibi-Dachi humor next chapter, methinks.


	10. Phase 10

Unfair Warning: Phase Ten 

A metafiction by Brian Randall

Disclaimer: Original source is Ranma 1/2, which is the property and creation of Rumiko Takahashi. Her paints, my easel, and the brush is borrowed without permission (hence this disclaimer) from Kenko and Chris Jones, as this metafic is inspired by 'Fair Warning' and 'The Tomboy Solution'.

Note: Fans of the above fics will probably not enjoy the effects of this one. Consider yourselves warned. Divergence. You'll know it when you see it.  
------------------------------------------------------

-0-

Even with a few days to consider what Akane had admitted to, Nodoka's head swam with the weight of it. Akane was someday going to be Ranma's wife, after all, and Nodoka didn't like the idea of her fine, upstanding, gentlemanly (and very manly), son marrying a woman with a violent reputation.

She had to admit that she wasn't certain Ranma did have those qualities ... but it seemed a reasonable assumption; Genma had promised, after all.

Still, the matter at hand was to help educate Akane in those areas she was lacking, to help the poor bride-to-be to overcome her shortcomings and be the wife she wanted to be for Ranma. And while Nodoka's plans should have loomed importantly in her mind, they were overshadowed by a slow realization. Or a sudden realization that she was only slow to let herself consider.

Akane had put three other girls in the hospital. By the time Nodoka had heard about it, of course, two of them had been released. At least, that was what Cologne had said when she'd introduced herself, and given Akane the first of what would undoubtedly be many tasks to earn the forgiveness of the remaining two girls. But she'd also mentioned that Ranma had been taking care of the other girls ... helping watch over them at the hospital, and in their own homes.

That seemed to fit Nodoka's hopes for how her son had turned out, but more importantly ... it meant that if Nodoka were to visit any of the girls, she had a chance of meeting her son!

Or at least, that had been her hope. When she'd finally gone, a kindly nurse had informed her that the last remaining girl (her name was Kuno Kodachi), had been transfered to a private practice. But this was her son; Nodoka wouldn't be balked by a recalcitrant nurse! It took a bit of wheedling, and some of the indignant fury that only a mother who hasn't seen her only child in ten years could summon, but ultimately, she'd been able to find out where Kodachi actually was.

Even if she couldn't find anything else out about the girl.

So, all that remained was to visit her, which would be conveniently not too far from the Tendo household, where she could then visit Akane! It was such a perfect plan that Nodoka was convinced that nothing could go wrong.

-1-

After the first day of the operation, Kodachi became very restless. Tofu's clinic was capable of housing her for her recovery, but hadn't been assembled with that in mind; her room had a comfortable enough bed (for a traction frame), but no television. There was a radio, but once the Full Moon Music Hour ended, there wasn't much that Kodachi was interested in listening to.

And of course, Ukyou was at school with Ranma in the mornings, and Shampoo was helping her great grandmother out at the Neko-Hanten. Once school let out, the girls would go to Ukyou's restaraunt to prepare for the evening rush; Ranma would help out at the Neko-Hanten and manage deliveries until it was time for him to meet up with the girls at Tofu's clinic ... and time for homework.

After that, Kodachi would wait, the other girls would go back to Ukyou's and get what business they could, and Ranma would study his medicinal scrolls and talk with her. He only had so long, of course, because then he needed to take Ukyou to the Neko-Hanten to wash, and that left him doing chores and probably squeezing in some study time with Cologne. After that, he got to take Ukyou back home, and collapse, only to wake up early enough to repeat the entire cycle.

All-in-all, it was very irritating for Kodachi, because Ranma was already stretched so thin as it was. Being the size of a five-year-old wasn't exactly the greatest thing in her mind, either. At least she was still herself ... aside from minor vocabulary slips, and a tendancy to want to pout, or giggle.

Tofu had left the radio on while tending his other patients. Within shouting distance if she needed, but she didn't want to distract the man after all he'd done for her so far. Still, she blinked at the mention of Ranma's name, unintentionally eavesdropping on a conversation:

"...Ranma has been looking out for her?"

"Well..." The doctor seemed uncertain, before continuing. "Yes, that is the case, but I'm afraid he's not here at the moment."

"Oh," the first speaker ... a woman, and not a terribly old one, Kodachi judged, said, crestfallen. "W...well, at any rate, would it be possible to speak with the young lady?"

Kodachi furrowed her brow. Who was this? Why did they want to talk to her? Tofu hesitated again, and then allowed, "I can ask her if she'd like a visitor. Please, wait here."

A moment later, the doctor slipped through the curtain covering the doorway and gave Kodachi an apologetic smile. "Hello," he began, in a quiet voice. "Ah, I'm not sure how much of that you heard, but Ranma's mother is here, and was wondering if you had a moment to speak with her."

Until that moment, Kodachi had been prepared to dismiss the visitor. But Ranma's mother? She'd never had a chance to meet the woman before. Her strange condition would be difficult to explain, but then ... surely Nodoka understood that. Her son had a curse to change gender, after all! And how could she pass up the opportunity to meet with the woman who could be her mother-in-law some day? "I... I'd like to meet her," she said earnestly.

Tofu blinked, then nodded. "I'll show her in," he said needlessly, before vanishing to do just that.

Kodachi anxiously wondered how she looked. She was wearing one of her black gowns, and the other girls had spent some time brushing her hair out before school; as a five-year-old, it ran down to just past her knees, and they'd arranged it on the bed around her. By the mirror, it looked quite pretty. For a five-year-old, at least.

She worried about the impression she'd make ... but Nodoka likely knew what was going on, and behind everything else, it was dreadfully boring. On the bright side, she didn't need to be on any pain medication; the moss seemed to handle that quite well. Thinking of that, she seized onto a smile and tried her best to beam at the woman who entered her room.

Ranma's mother had aged well, or had Ranma when she was closer to her son's age than was usual, Kodachi judged at a glance. The resemblance between her and Ranma's cursed form was instant and unmistakable. "Hello!" she said as cheerfully as she could manage. "You must be Ranma-chama's mother!" Drat, she cursed herself inwardly. That same childish slip again... Nodoka stared, obviously stunned at the gaffe. "I'm sorry I'm not at my best," Kodachi tried uneasily, before Nodoka roused herself, shaking off her dismay.

"N...no," she said quickly, shaking her head. "There's nothing to apologize for, Kodachi-chan." Tofu indicated the stool at the foot of the bed -- the one Ranma usually claimed, and then excused himself silently. Nodoka sat carefully, before giving Kodachi a scrutinizing examination.

The girl couldn't help but blush. Well, it wasn't her fault...

"I... That is..." Nodoka seemed to be having trouble with her words. Was it that she found Kodachi unsuitable for her son already?

She bit her lip in dismay, but Nodoka coughed quietly and started over again before she could offer another apology.

"Kodachi-chan, how did you end up in such a condition?"

This was worthy of a pause. Nodoka didn't know about the mushrooms after all? Hadn't Tofu mentioned it? "What do you mean?" she asked, deciding it would be best to be clear. And honest. Nodoka would probably make a good mother-in-law, after all.

"Did... Is it true that Akane..." She trailed off, then coughed again, unable to hide a look of dismay. Finally, she blurted out, "Did Akane do this to you?"

So that was it. Well, that made better sense, at least. "Um... It's my fault," Kodachi admitted. "I challenged her and wouldn't back down. So ... she did this to me." She looked away, thinking. "Ranma-chama said I shouldn't have blamed myself," she said quietly. "He said that Akane didn't have to do this to me to beat me, but it's mean to say it's all her fault."

Nodoka blinked several times, then nodded slowly. Finally, she managed a smile. A radiant one, too; it rather reminded Kodachi of the smile Ranma had given her when... "You're certainly a well mannered girl," Nodoka said. "But I think Akane owes you rather an apology. Have... Are your parents upset with Akane at all? I hadn't heard anything from her about it, but..."

"My father is the principal of Furinkan," Kodachi said, wishing she could nod. "He expelled Akane. There was an argument, but I got her sent to Saint Hebereke, instead of suing."

Nodoka blinked again, then shook her head. "How did you meet my son, Kodachi-chan?"

Blushing again, Kodachi smiled at the happy memory. "I fell off a roof, and Ranma-chama saved me; he was the first person to show interest in my regard." Then, she blurted out, "And I knew I wanted to marry him right then."

The woman laughed softly, one hand rising to press against her cheek. "You are a precious girl, aren't you? Oh, Kodachi-chan... I had no idea that... That is to say..." She trailed off, her smile fading. "I had resolved to teach Akane the ways of a proper wife. How to cook and clean, and, well, that sort of thing." She bit her lip. "I think she has a rather long way to go before I can declare her suitable for Ranma."

Kodachi bit back a grin, but was unable to prevent a giggle from escaping. At Nodoka's curious glance, she quickly asked, "Oh, c...could you teach me, too? I want to learn how to be a suitable bride for Ranma-chama!"

Nodoka laughed at that, wiping at her eyes. Her laugh was gentle and caring, and reminded the girl so much of her own mother's laugh ... so much warmth. She'd tried to copy it, but felt that her efforts somehow always fell short. "Oh, Kodachi-chan, you're so precious! But doesn't your own mother wish to teach you those things?"

Already put in mind of the woman, Kodachi turned her eyes away and sighed. "Mommy passed away a long time ago," she mumbled. Ten years ago, to be exact, but Kodachi doubted Nodoka would care about those specific details.

The woman's eyes widened. "I... I didn't know," she began softly. "S...still, your father visits you, doesn't he?"

If it weren't for the frame holding her in place, Kodachi would have shuddered. "No," she said quickly. "And I don't want my older brother to see me like this; he picks on me."

"W...well, in that case, I..." She hesitated, then smiled softly. "Very well, Kodachi-chan. I would be delighted to teach you! I'll come by every morning, if you'd like!"

"Yay!" Kodachi couldn't help but cheer at that.

"In the meantime," Nodoka said, bowing politely, "I'm afraid I must be going. But I will come by tomorrow; would you like me to read to you, as well?"

Kodachi blinked. Read to her? She only looked like a child. But then, why pass up an opportunity to grow close to the woman? "Okay! Can you read me Ranma-chama's favorite stories?"

"Certainly! Now, take care of yourself, Kodachi, darling, and I'll see you tomorrow!"

"Bye-bye, Ranma-chama's mommy," Kodachi called back. Kodachi spared a moment of irritation for the tendancy to slip into those childish forms of adress again. Though, since she was allowing Nodoka to read to her, she had to admit that it wasn't so terrible playing up that aspect of her recovery efforts...

"Oh, so precious! But, Kodachi-chan ... why don't you just call me 'mother'? I'd like that."

"O...okay, mother," Kodachi managed, her voice quavering. Suddenly, she didn't feel like she was losing much of anything by allowing Shan-chan and Ucchan to gain ground on the pursuit of Ranma...

-2-

Racing through the streets at her fastest speed -- which was, she had to admit, quite fast -- Nodoka managed to reach the Tendo home in what she suspected was probably record time. Kasumi had mentioned that Akane was helping a friend of Ranma's, a very young man who needed to be watched over. Anger and fear warred for control of the moment once Kodachi was out of sight; how could Akane do such a thing to a child? Though, more importantly, she needed to make sure that Ranma's young friend would be safe with Akane.

There was an awful lot of training awaiting that girl before she became bride-worthy, Nodoka admitted to herself with reluctance, knocking on the door. She was completely confident in Ranma's manliness, wherever he was, but if Akane wasn't worth marrying yet, then it would take that much longer before Nodoka might have a good chance to see him start his own family.

But a girl who would injure children... Nodoka masked her expression as Kasumi answered the door. "Why, hello, Auntie!" she said cheerfully. "I wasn't expecting you today. Would you like to come in?"

"I would love to," Nodoka replied, glancing at the shoe-rack. Ranko's shoes were missing, which was a pity; Nodoka thought that girl might be a positive influence on Akane. Ranma's shoes, of course, were still a complete unknown, but... "I don't suppose that my son or my husband are in?" she asked hopefully, slipping her own sandals off.

"I'm afraid not at the moment," Kasumi admitted, with an apologetic smile. "Ranma is researching medicine for his friends, still. His father was here earlier, helping Akane to retrain ... but he went to try and help Ranma."

Nodoka frowned as she entered the living room, spotting a child of about five, or so, sitting in front of the television and glowering at the screen. "Is something wrong?" Nodoka asked him, momentarily distracted from Ranma and her husband. The boy looked uninjured, at a glance. That was a good sign.

"I can't believe that Kendall would do that!" he protested, shaking a fist at the screen. "To her own mother! Erica may be kind of mean, sometimes, but she deserves better than that!"

After a blink, Nodoka glanced at the screen herself. "Oh," she said, nodding. "Well, you see, a few years ago Kendall fell in with Janet, and-"

"I've caught Ryouga-kun up," Kasumi assured, taking a seat and pouring tea from a nearby tea-tray. "I can't wait to see what happens on Friday."

"Oh, yes," Nodoka agreed, sinking to sit herself, before remembering her mission. "Ah, I'm sorry. Is Akane-chan home?"

"She will be," Kasumi promised. "Right now she's visiting a friend for a sparring session. Oh, my! Trevor shouldn't be involved with this!"

"He should really know better!" Ryouga agreed, eyes riveted to the screen. "Oh, c'mon!"

Nodoka smiled, shaking her head. He seemed to be a good boy. Maybe he could be friends with Kodachi; they looked about the same age. "I'm sorry," she said, as the show switched to a commercial break, "we haven't been properly introduced. I am Saotome Nodoka."

"Saotome..." The boy blinked a few times, then looked at Nodoka curiously. "You're related to Ranma?"

"That's right! I'm his mother. Do you know him?" Though, he looked a bit young to be Ranma's friend ... perhaps Ranma was already so eager to be a father he practiced taking care of and befriending children? That would explain Kodachi.

Ryouga blinked several times, and then managed a dumb nod.

"Well, can you tell me how you met him?"

Ryouga squinted. "At my last school, all of the boys had to fight for bread at lunch," he said slowly. "And every day, Ranma beat me to the last piece!"

Nodoka blinked in surprise. "What?" she managed. Ranma and this boy going to the same school? Surely there was some mistake!

"And then, I challenged him to a duel," Ryouga continued, his face clouding with anger, his lower lip protruding in a pout. "But he didn't show up!"

"After he waited for you for three days," Kasumi noted.

"But on the fourth day, when I showed up, he was gone!" Ryouga said stiffly, crossing his arms over his chest. "And that's how I met him."

"Is that so?" Nodoka asked, thoroughly bewildered.

"Yeah. But... But now he's helping me out, since I'm stuck for a while," admitted. "So I guess he's not always a jerk."

"Stuck?"

"Ryouga-kun has an awful sense of direction," Kasumi said in an apologetic tone. "Truly miserable."

"Hey! That's not fair! I can too find my way-"

"Shall we go to the kitchen for some cookies, Ryouga-kun?"

"Yay! Cookies! Damn it! I mean- Oh... Fine. But no more oatmeal rasin. I want chocolate chip!"

"A sweet cookie for a sweet boy," Kasumi said in a gentle tone. "No chocolate until you can mind your language."

"Aww! No fair!"

Nodoka shook her head as Kasumi led the boy by one hand into the kitchen. She certainly had a lot to think about, now.

-3-

Even though taking care of Ryouga was just a tiny responsibility, Akane tried to take it seriously. Ranma had asked that she do it, after all, and anything she could do to make things up to him was something she had to do. For all that the dougi had cost her, it did make one thing clear. She had been willing to do something terrible for Ranma, once.

So she'd asked Kasumi for a break, and Kasumi had agreed. And that meant she was taking the scenic route home from St. Hebereke's. She knew that Ranma took to the rooftops on occasion, and she suspected Shampoo did it far more often. Ukyou ... Akane wasn't sure about that. But she could see why they did it, anyway.

Less traffic, slightly clearer air... There was no real escape from Tokyo's air pollution, but any break was a good one. More importantly, no one else around. Akane had always been taught by her father that meditation was something that took place in quiet gardens, with meticulously raked sand, and carefully positioned bonsai trees. Happosai just laughed when he heard that; Genma snorted and shook his head.

It had taken practice, but with the pain in her chest from her mistake, she'd found something to focus on. And by trying to take it apart, and find out how it worked, Akane believed she'd found her own sort of meditation. She liked to think that it was close to Ranma's ... but she couldn't be certain. It'd be great if she could ask him, but as it went, she found her escape, and her own meditation, in running across the rooftops.

And today she was taking a longer course home, to make the most of it. Her first 'meditations' had been about what she'd done, and how she could have used the dougi more responsibly. But that quickly got given up; no use crying over might-have-beens. Instead, she tried to focus on how she could improve. On how she could make it all up to Ranma.

Thankfully, wide streets and slippery rooftops kept her from falling into daydreams.

So when someone landed directly behind her after a tricky jump and she spun, losing her footing, she knew it wasn't her imagination when Ranma sighed, rolled his eyes, and grabbed her wrist. She hung there for a moment, dangling from the edge of a three story apartment building, staring up at him. The sun was right behind him, outlining him in a hazy aura. Then he said, "Still the same clumsy tomboy as ever, I see," and swung her up to set her on her feet.

Her heart hammered wildly, and she bit her tongue on her first impulse -- to yell at him for being a jerk. Instead she bowed her head, and mumbled, "I'm sorry."

"W...what?" He sounded nervous; unsettled. What was bothering him? Had something worse happened to Kodachi? If it had, it would be her fault, she knew ... and if the moss didn't work, then she was out of options.

"I'm sorry I'm still clumsy," she said more loudly. In her mind, she was already trying to figure out how she would have stepped to avoid falling the next time it happened. The next person to do that trick might not want to help her out at all, and without the dougi to catch her, she needed to be careful.

"That's not..." He sighed, turning around and crossing his arms over his chest. She looked up, but all that was before her was a nervously bobbing pigtail. "I was trying to be funny," he said quietly. "But I guess we can't do that yet."

Her wildly hammering heart missed a few beats, and one hand went to her chest, her cheeks burning. Yet? What did yet mean? Did that mean that he- She squelched her rising hopes, taking a deep breath. Don't get ahead of yourself, she chastized. Remember what happened last time. "Um," she replied, instead. "W...what are you doing?" Brilliant, she caustically muttered to herself. Excellent conversation skills.

"Just thinkin'," he replied absently, bowing his head. This made his pigtail rise, and she was hard-pressed not to snicker at him.

Instead, she took a few steps towards the peak of the roof, then sat down, smoothing her skirt out. "I like to think while I'm running, too," she offered.

"Yeah?" he asked, looking up at the sky. "It's a good way to do it."

"I... Um. Daddy said that we... That you and I..." She bit her lip, looking away.

"Pops told me I was supposed to practice with you," Ranma said softly. "I'm not sure about that just now, but I thought we could ... you know. Talk, at least, right?"

"Yeah!" she agreed, nodding quickly. Not that he would see, of course. "I-I'd like that. T...to talk," she managed. A thought occured to her, and she let it escape before she considered it: "We almost never talked, before. Maybe, if we had-" She bit her tongue. Focus on the future, she berated herself. The past has passed.

He turned to look at her, his expression worn ... but still with a faint smile. "Good," he said. "Yeah. Maybe. A...anyway. I just wanted to say, 'hi', you know? Make sure that... That everything was alright."

"It's okay," she said, nodding quickly. She hated her new schedule, her new school was horrible, and her sisters didn't really hesitate to remind her of how bad she'd screwed up. In addition, Happosai and Genma's training regime was maddening, brutal, and unforgiving. "I think it's been worse than it is now, anyway." After all, Ranma was still willing to speak to her.

He gave an awkward, lopsided smile. "Okay, then," he said uneasily. "I guess I'll see you again, sometime."

"Great," Akane said, nodding. "Wonderful. Can't wait."

He nodded back, and gave one solid leap, vanishing from sight three buildings away.

Akane gave a deep sigh, smiled, and considered just lying down to die on the rooftop right there. She shook her head, banishing the thought. Talking to him was good. Earning his forgiveness was the key. And that meant, since she couldn't concentrate on her 'meditation', that she'd best get back to babysitting Ryouga.

-4-

Another day, another episode of Kasumi's favorite soap opera behind him. Ryouga simply couldn't understand the fascination it held for her, or for Ranma's mother. It was transperent, vapid, and really, just plain unreasonable. And Erica Kane deserved to be treated better, damn it!

He shook his head, banishing the thought and eyeing the half-eaten oatmeal cookie in his hand suspiciously. He still hadn't earned his way back into the graces of chocolate chip. Maybe he could get Akane to sneak him one...

What was he thinking? He might be a child in size, but he was Hibiki Ryouga, and he'd fought dragons (kind of; it was mostly one dragon with a lot of heads), monsters from China (Mint and Lime should fit into that category, but even if they didn't, Tarou sure did), he'd faced the beasts of the wild, and nothing -- absolutely nothing -- would keep him from a chocolate chip cookie if he wanted one!

First things first, that meant finding his way to the kitchen.

He thought about that for minute and then sighed. Well, he could watch his tongue around Kasumi, he supposed. Would have to, if he wanted that cookie.

When Kasumi and Nodoka were distracted, Ryouga pitched his cookie half through the open doorway, aiming for the sky over the backyard. Good riddance, he thought, just before Akane bounded in from the same direction, glancing back over her shoulder. "Cookies?" she asked, turning her attention to Kasumi.

The eldest sister broke off her conversation with Nodoka and greeted Akane before replying, "There are oatmeal raisin and chocolate chip cookies in the kitchen -- but Ryouga-kun is only allowed to have oatmeal until he can mind his mouth."

"Darn," he mumbled, scowling. So much for getting Akane on his side. Then he shook his head; what was he thinking? Cookies? Soap operas? In a few days, Tofu would give him the mushroom he needed to return to his own proper age -- then he'd be on his own again. But until that happened, he had time with Akane -- time to confess to her.

He'd been too distracted by Akane calling herself 'big sister' the previous night. Surely she was just joking about his current prediciment, not her feelings for him in general. So all he had to do was confess to her. After all -- Ranma was finally out of the picture ... even if Ryouga was fuzzy on why. Might as well clarify it with Akane, he decided to himself.

"Akane?" he asked aloud.

"Yes?" she replied, already pulling her books and homework from her backpack. "What is it?"

"Where's Ranma, anyway?"

"H...he's taking care of Ukyou, I think," she answered, glancing at Nodoka, who listened eagerly.

"You've seen him? Recently?" she demanded, eyes widening in hope. "I'm sure I'll meet him soon if he's taking care of those girls..." Then she trailed off, the hope being replaced by a stern gaze she directed at Akane.

Ryouga wanted to flinch away from that look, and it wasn't even pointed at him. Akane allowed a frightened noise to escape, dropping her pen. "Y...yes, Auntie?" she asked in a shaking voice. "Is something wrong?"

"I went to see Kodachi-chan today," Nodoka said warningly. "Akane, I'm worried about your abilities to watch over children -- like Ryouga."

"What? But I-"

"It's innapropriate to use your full martial skill against a child! You could have crippled her for life; the doctor there, that kindly Tofu, he told me it was only luck that Kodachi-chan was doing as well as she was! I'm very dissapointed in you, young lady."

Akane blinked, and Ryouga saw her eyes filled with unshed tears. "I feel awful about it, too!" Akane protested. "I, I wasn't thinking, the dougi... It was stupid, and my fault. I can't make excuses, so ... what I did was wrong. But I have to make it up! I have to believe that I can try, anyway -- if I can't make it up to her, to Ukyou, to Shampoo ... then how can I ever make it up to Ranma?"

Ryouga was thoroughly confused, but leapt to Akane's defense anyway. "Why worry about him?" he asked. "Ranma's just a jerk; he doesn't deserve you anyway. Those girls only got what was coming to them."

Akane scowled, shaking her head. "That's not right, Ryouga-kun. I... What happened was wrong. It shouldn't have happened. I made a big misake. And I guess you might think it's his fault, but it's not. It's mine. And I have to try and make it up to them, or what kind of martial artist would I be?"

Ryouga worked his jaw a few times, then closed his mouth. How could he really argue against Akane taking personal responsibility? When he stopped and looked back at his rivalry with Ranma, he realized it overstepped a lot of the bounds of honorable combat. But then, they were rivals, so they could do that. And then, something clicked for Ryouga. He was Ranma's rival, so he could wish ill upon Ranma, or side against him because it was convenient.

Akane wasn't, though, and that meant...

That meant...

Ryouga sighed, hanging his head. That meant that Akane didn't hate Ranma, after all. Well, with her practically in tears, and Nodoka's judgemental eye on the entire scene, he guessed his chances of sccessfully confessing his feelings to be at an all-time low. "I understand," he finally said, when he found his voice. "I'm sorry. Let me know if I can do anything to help, Akane-san."

She smiled sadly, and ruffled his hair. "Wait here," she instructed, while he mourned the loss of respect that tousled hair gave him. A moment later, she vanished into the kitchen and returned with a chocolate chip cookie, which she handed to him.

"Thanks," he said with a weak smile. He didn't want a cookie... "Delicious," he mumbled, not tasting it at all.

Finally, Nodoka relented and sighed, shaking her head. "You must work very hard to prove yourself capable," she warned. "I'll be expecting you tomorrow for your lessons to begin."

"Understood," Akane replied, forcing a shaky smile.

-5-

Ukyou typically tried not to demean or dislike her customers. She really did try, but sometimes customers just made that difficult. And when they tipped well afterwards, she could only smile and thank them, even when it meant that she was late in closing. Late to close also meaning she would be late to the clinic, to spend some quality time with Ranchan. Or do her homework, but that wasn't as important as helping him with his. He wanted to be a doctor; she already owned her own restaurant.

Shampoo grumbled something under her breath as the last customer ambled through the door, then grabbed a broom and got to work. Ukyou cleaned the grill and packed away everything that she'd gotten out to prepare for the later, and busier, shift. Unfortunately, unless she was willing to risk her hip, Ukyou could still only work so fast, and that meant Ranma's knock on the door came before they were quite ready.

"Come in," Shampoo chirped, unlocking the door to admit the pigtailed girl -- still in her Neko-Hanten uniform. Ukyou struggled to keep down a snicker at the sight of the weary redhead and waved from where she was up to her elbows in dirty dishes.

"Heya, Ranchan," she called. "How was work?"

"Not so bad," she replied with an easy smile and a shrug. "Hey, let me take over the dishes; I need to get to some hot water anyway."

Ukyou nodded, and in short order the three were done. There was a brief interlude where Ranma doused herself -- then himself -- with hot water and appeared to change clothes with the curse, which prompted Shampoo to raise an eyebrow and ask, "Hidden weapons?"

Ranma nodded in response, reaching back to scratch the back of his head -- and bringing his hand back with a book of accupressure points.

"That's pretty neat," Ukyou mused, tilting her head to one side. "And here, I thought your head had nothing in it but good nature and charm!"

The boy sputtered for a moment before rolling his eyes, though his cheeks were slightly pinker after the comment. "A...anyway, we're a bit late, and Kodachi gets pretty bored all by herself, so we should hurry."

Ukyou nodded, then threw her arms open expectantly.

Ranma stared at her, until Shampoo smacked the back of his head, incidentally dislodging a scroll of herbal remedies. "Carry her so we can make up lost time," she chided, collecting the scroll and tucking it into her waistband.

"O...oh, right," he said, laughing nervously, then carefully gathering the girl in his arms. She blushed at him brightly, trying not to wiggle around too much ... though, there was a certain temptation to see how he would react if she did.

Then Shampoo locked the door and they were out into the sunset air; Ranma took to the rooftops, and Shampoo was just behind him. Far too soon they reached the clinic, where Ranma set Ukyou down carefully, just inside the door. Shampoo handed over her cane, and then, just to keep Ranma on his toes, gave him a hug of her own. A startled sound escaped the boy, and Ukyou was torn between snickering and glowering. He was so cute when he was like that! But then, that was Shampoo being affectionate with him, not her. She ultimately settled on giving him a knowing smirk.

What mattered was that he knew how they felt, and that they wouldn't be violent about it. Stepping carefully, and wishing it didn't hurt to try walking without the cane, she was the first one through to see Kodachi. Curiously, Tofu was gone, somewhere, but the Kuno girl had a guest. A young woman ... though, older than Ukyou or Shampoo. She was dressed in a clean kimono, with her red hair done up in a bun. Something about her seemed very familiar.

Kodachi blinked, her eyes brightening as they spotted Ukyou. "Ucchan!" she called out. "Shan-chan! Ranma-chama!"

She turned around to glance at Ranma, to see how he reacted to the strange woman, but the boy in question had frozen in place like a statue. In a blur of motion so fast that Ukyou wasn't even sure she saw it, Tofu appeared, hurling the contents of a bucket at Ranma. At the same moment that the woman turned around, a blinking, soaked redhead stood where Ranma and Shampoo had a moment before.

"Ranko-chan!" the woman said brightly, straightening up from where she was sitting at the foot of Kodachi's bed. "I was hoping to see you soon!"

"A...Auntie Saotome," 'Ranko' croaked out, eyes unfocused as she twitched, dropping Shampoo's clothes -- and what was in them.

"Oops," was the limit of Tofu's explanation, as he scooped the clothes (Shampoo's cursed form still trapped inside them) into a bucket. "I'll be right back." Then he vanished.

Ukyou was sorely tempted to ball her hands into fists and plant them on her hips, and demand an explanation. But that would look silly if she was still leaning on a cane with one hand. Instead, she pursed her lips and asked, "Is this a friend of yours, 'Dachi-chan?"

"Yes!" the girl replied, blinking. Ukyou wondered how much of a pain it had to be to be unable to even nod. "This is Ranma-chama's mommy."

Ukyou's world spun briefly, and she nearly tipped over. Thankfully, Ranma caught her. "Ranma's mother?" she sputtered. "Um, um, oh! Er, I'm Kuonji Ukyou, Saotome-san. It's a great honor to meet you!" Don't screw up with your future mother-in-law, she chastized herself.

"Ah!" Ranma's mother said brightly, giving Ukyou a shiver-inducing scrutiny. "You're one of the three girls that Akane..." She trailed off with a wince, then cleared her throat. "I'm pleased to see you too! I hope you're doing well?"

"A...alright," Ukyou managed. "I, um..." Then she gestured helplessly to Ranma.

The shorter (and damper) redhead adjusted her sleeves and pants, offering, "Ucchan's doing much better. Her hip was originally broken, but it's mending ... she should be able to get rid of the cane in two or three weeks."

"Oh, how sweet!" Ranma's mother said brightly. "You're working as a nurse for these girls?"

"S...something like that..."

"That's wonderful!" Nodoka gave another brilliant smile, one hand going to rest atop Kodachi's. The young-seeming girl was practically glowing at that point. "Only, Ranko-chan ... I had heard that Ranma was here, watching over your friends. Will he be by tonight?"

"If he could," Ranma said with a nervous chuckle. "But, you never know, with him!"

Ukyou blinked. Kodachi looked puzzled. They exchanged a glance, but before either could speak, Shampoo -- redressed -- burst into the room. "Sorry for being late," she chirped brightly. "Ah! You are Ranma's mother, yes?"

"Indeed I am," Nodoka said with a nod. "Have you seen him?"

"Earlier today!" Shampoo said, nodding back vigorously. "Ranma is helping Great-Grandmother at the Neko-Hanten -- is trying to make up for..." She trailed off and rubbed at her recently healed arm, then glanced significantly at Ukyou's cane, and Kodachi in the traction frame.

"O...oh," Nodoka said, nodding her understanding. "I do so hope I can meet him soon." Then she shook her head. "Where are my manners? Ranko-chan, won't you introduce me to your friends properly?"

"Y...yeah," the redhead said dazedly. Ukyou and Kodachi exchanged another confused glance. Obviously something was going on here ... and for whatever reason, Ranma's mother didn't know about the curse. She wasn't going to change that until she knew more, but she had a nagging suspicion that Ranma had never mentioned something very critical about his mother. Aside from the fact that she was even alive.

-  
Author's notes:  
This is probably about the halfway point.


	11. Phase 11

Unfair Warning: Phase Eleven 

A metafiction by Brian Randall

Disclaimer: Original source is Ranma 1/2, which is the property and creation of Rumiko Takahashi. Her paints, my easel, and the brush is borrowed without permission (hence this disclaimer) from Kenko and Chris Jones, as this metafic is inspired by 'Fair Warning' and 'The Tomboy Solution'.

Note: Fans of the above fics will probably not enjoy the effects of this one. Consider yourselves warned. Divergence. You'll know it when you see it.  
------------------------------------------------------

-0-

"So," Ranma began, once she regained her composure, "Auntie Saotome, to introduce everyone properly, uh..." She indicated Kodachi with one hand, saying, "This is Kuno Kodachi, who I guess you already met." The dark-haired and currently very young girl offered a smile with only a hint of her elder self's dark malice about it; Shampoo found the effect to be painfully cute.

"She's a wonderful child," Nodoka opined, smiling gracefully, and gently smoothing a stray hair out of Kodachi's face.

Then Ranma indicated her, and she offered a smile to Ranma's mother of her own. "This is Shampoo, er... Shan-Pu, actually," she said slowly. "She's from a village in China, and her people call themselves the Joketsuzoku."

"Shampoo is alright for a name," the Joketsuzoku warrior added with a tiny giggle. "I don't mind!" Though, she was secretly grateful for the improved Japanese before meeting Ranma's mother. Poor language skills could easily set her off on the wrong foot. Not that Shampoo needed Ranma's mother to approve of her; they could still marry by her laws regardless of what the woman said. But she seemed likable, and other than Tofu's warning about Ranma being killed if he wasn't manly...

"A lovely girl! And so lively, too!" Shampoo struggled to keep the radiance of her smile to non-lethal levels.

"And, uh, you've met her, too, but this is Kuonji Ukyou, a childhood friend of ... Ranma's," the shorter redhead concluded, wincing slightly.

"It's nice to meet you," Ukyou said quietly, a tiny blush showing on her cheeks as her accent showed through.

"A southern girl," Nodoka murmured, a smirk playing about her lips. "But you run a restaurant?"

Ukyou blinked in surprise, but nodded. Shampoo wondered how Nodoka could tell. "W...well, yes," she allowed. "S...sometimes Ranchan helps, and Shan-chan helps all the time, now that..." She trailed off lamely and gestured to her cane.

"Where are my manners?" Nodoka chastised herself again, rising to her feet, and pushing a stool over toward Ukyou. Ranma helped her sit, and took her cane to set aside. "You must all tell me how you met Ranma, of course!"

Shampoo thought about her options for a moment before deciding that the other girls needed to know what was going on first; trying to explain things now would make Ranma's life even more complicated, something it simply didn't need at the moment. "Is a lot of story," Shampoo warned. "Maybe tell next time? Would love to visit again -- maybe even get Ranma to come along!"

"Well..." Nodoka hesitated, then glanced at a clock. "It is late," she admitted. "What a pity; we've only just met. Will I see you here tomorrow, if I come along? I'm going to be visiting Kodachi-chan anyway."

"That's ... great," Ranma managed, forcing a dazed smile, panic barely hidden in her eyes.

"Isn't it just?" Nodoka agreed, clasping her hands together. "Tomorrow, then. Now, all of you take care, and have no fear; I'm confident that my son will set things right!" With that, she waved to the girls and padded out of the office.

Ranma sank like a hulled boat, until she was lying flat on her face. "Ooog," she moaned around a mouthful of linoleum.

Ukyou shook her head, frowning. "Explanation time," she warned.

"Explanation time," Shampoo agreed. "Tofu-sensei, is okay to talk?"

"She's gone," the man replied through the doorway. "Sorry about that."

"Right." Shampoo turned to glance at Ukyou and Kodachi. "Stupid panda," she began, before pausing.

Both Kodachi and Ukyou made faces and sighed.

"He make a promise with Ranma's mother that if Ranma is not manly, Ranma's mother kills Ranma!" The other girls gasped. Ranma moaned. Shampoo added, "And stupid panda."

There was a brief moment of silence before Kodachi sniffled, and whimpered, "How do we save Ranma-chama? It's not fair that he's so nice to us, and now his mommy... That's just not fair at all!"

Ranma allowed another noise to escape, then pulled herself slowly into a sitting position. "I'm getting used to it," she sighed. "Anyway, we should do our homework now. Let's worry about that first."

None of the girls disagreed with Ranma's suggestion as a silent glance passed a message between them: They needed to regroup again.

-1-

Ranma's mornings were typically occupied with waking Ukyou up -- which wasn't that hard, though he noticed that she'd become a deeper sleeper since he'd started helping her out. At first, he just had to touch her hand to wake her; now he had to put his hands on her shoulders and shake her gently. And usually, she just mumbled in her sleep and curled up around whichever of his hands he didn't pull back fast enough.

Still, it was an easier morning ritual than waking up halfway down to a koi pond. Or waking up in a koi pond, if he happened to be tired. But today, he didn't have to do even that, because Shampoo had come over early. And why not? Cologne didn't open in the mornings anymore.

So for the first time in a very long time, he woke up with no immediately demanding chores. He'd slowly adjusted to sharing a room with Ukyou, but still could only think of it as him staying in her room. So when left alone, he retreated to the rooftop to think.

Just his luck, for his mom to be involved, and that meant that like it or not, he was going to have to deal with her. He'd been trying to change the way things went after Akane and the dougi caused the mess he was in now, and it had gotten so involved he'd actually managed to forget about the seppuku pledge.

Of course, that was par for the course. Just as soon as he was getting a handle on things, they went crazy again. He rubbed at his eyes, looking up at the sky. Tofu had understood the situation, but hadn't had any suggestions, only sympathy. It was an option he'd previously gone out of his way to avoid, but once he thought about it... Why not ask Cologne for help?

Sure, the old woman had a bias, but he'd have to overlook that -- after all, wasn't he studying medicine with her? Blinking, he realized that he wasn't as alone as he had thought. Surely the old woman would have some idea of what to do. That thought in mind, he made a note to speak with her about it during the evening study session.

-2-

Kodachi was expecting Ranma's mother to visit. She wasn't certain how exactly to feel about that, now. Kodachi had really, really wanted to like Nodoka. And she was even highly likable! But the girl couldn't quite wrap her head around the fact that Nodoka would kill Ranma if he wasn't 'manly' enough.

The easiest thing to do would be to take the information as unlikely in the extreme, and to try and figure out what Shampoo was trying to pull off. Except ... Ranma had been there, and hadn't said a thing to contradict her. And that meant that as little as she liked it, Kodachi had to believe her.

Of course ... Kodachi had to admit that she didn't want to think that Shampoo would lie to her about that. And that caused her eyes to tear as she realized that even though she did have friends, real friends ... that could only last so long. Eventually, even if they navigated past their current difficulty, only one of them could win.

Only one of them would marry Ranma, and the others would be stuck with the role of only being his friends. It would be a bitter experience; not having made any friends before, Kodachi was keenly disinclined to lose them. Especially with hard feelings. But she made herself look at the big picture: how gracious could she be if she won? After thinking about that until her head hurt, she started the entire cycle all over again:

Thinking about how messy things were going to be didn't help. She should focus on the immediate future for the moment. After all, Ranma's mother was coming to visit! But ... how to look forward to that?

She groaned, closing her eyes and wishing she could even rub them. At least if everything went according to plan, she would be free of the bed in a few more days. That would open up whole new worlds of possibilities.

Her agonized cycle of self-doubt, hope for Ranma, doubt of Ranma's mother, and hope for a happy resolution somehow was finally interrupted when Shampoo peeked around the corner. Ukyou limped past her and sat with exaggerated care on a stool, sighing as her eyes drifted shut.

"Ucchan? Shan-chan?" Kodachi smiled despite everything. "Aren't you early? And where's Ranma-chama?"

"A bit early, sugar," Ukyou said with a tired smile. "We don't have much time; Ranchan's mom is just around the corner. Tofu-sensei's going to distract her, but we weren't fast enough."

"When you can walk again, we will all stay at Ukyou's place together," Shampoo said quickly. "Call it a... A..." She finally furrowed her brow and looked at Ukyou inquisitively.

"A slumber party," Ukyou said, hiding a yawn. "We can talk more then."

"But, I'm supposed to get out of the frame today!" Kodachi protested, just as Nodoka came through the doorway. "Oh, um, it's Mommy-chama!" Again with the childish titles! Why couldn't she control her tongue?

"'Mommy'?" Ukyou and Shampoo asked together, unable to keep from smiling.

Nodoka giggled, blushing slightly. "Well," she said demurely, "it seemed to me that someone should help darling Kodachi-chan out, shouldn't they? And you sweet girls are far too young to try and take that role for yourselves."

"So says you," Shampoo mumbled. Then her eyes widened, as Nodoka turned a curious gaze at her. "Er, not to disrespect Saotome-sama's skills as mother," she added hastily.

"You're young yet," Nodoka chastised, smiling. "You should be able to enjoy yourselves, and time with my son, and not have to worry about children so soon."

"Well, it's not like we haven't thought about it," Ukyou said quietly, her cheeks darkening. "Um, Saotome-sama."

"My!" Nodoka exclaimed, her smile impossibly brightening. "Does my son bring these thoughts to mind, then?"

"Constantly," Ukyou and Shampoo deadpanned simultaneously, before exchanging guilty smiles.

"How delightful! You must tell me more about him!"

"Oh, um, well, he's always very thoughtful to me, and has gone so far out of his way to help take care of me after ... after..." Ukyou trailed off lamely and gestured to her cane with her free hand.

"Me, too," Shampoo added, ducking her head slightly. "And 'Dachi-chan, of course."

"Of course! I love Ranma-chama," Kodachi added. Not, she cursed inwardly, what she had meant to say.

Judging by Nodoka's radiant expression, it was good enough, however. Kodachi released a satisfied smile. Perhaps this would go some distance toward making Nodoka feel that Ranma was 'manly'?

-3-

The sky was bright, and Nerima's bizarre weather had calmed down to some point -- some point where the frequent squalls seemed less frequent, at least. A few fleecy clouds dotted the horizon, but they drifted very slowly away with no obvious warnings of rain. Around Akane, the other St. Hebereke students murmured to one-another, giving her space to be alone.

Which suited her well enough; she hadn't quite gotten to the point where she was sure she was ready to try and make new friends. She was still trying to sort things out, and while she'd gotten flustered, and her heart raced when Ranma had talked to her, that all crashed down when Nodoka's following visit reminded her of everything she'd done wrong ... yet again.

There was no real escape from it, which she supposed was why she was just as glad not to have made any new friends yet. They'd invariably want to know about the circumstances, beyond the vague rumors, and she certainly didn't want respect given only because she'd brutalized Kodachi.

In retrospect, as much as she disliked the school ... it was calmer in many ways than Furinkan could ever be. So she was grateful for the solitude.

As her gaze dropped from the bright, empty sky to the school gate, she realized that was probably why it couldn't last. Dressed in his usual style, carrying the standard bouquet of roses, was none other than Kuno Tatewaki.

She struggled for a moment, and then decided to greet him as, "Kuno-san," instead of 'sempai'. Even if he was an upper-classman, they weren't in the same social circle anymore. "What brings you here?"

The distant tittering of the other students quieted, and she sensed their total attention focusing on herself, stopped just inside the gate, and Tatewaki, standing just outside.

"You, of course, Tendo-san," he said, bowing low, extending the bouquet with a flourish. "As others are given to protect and watch over my family, which incurs upon myself a terrible debt, I am now given to protect and watch over you, in all ways that I may."

And she didn't want to encourage Tatewaki, but he deserved to be heard out -- everyone did, really. So with the eyes of the other girls on her, she hesitantly accepted the bouquet. "Um ... that's very kind of you, Kuno-san. I wish to apologize to you, though, so I don't know that you should be giving me--"

"I'll hear not a word of it," he declared, rising. "You seek to atone, and I seek to alleviate your suffering. Have we not all, in some way, been wounded by the events of late?"

She blinked, looking down at the roses. Not roses, she realized, once she was staring at them. Just red flowers -- rhododendron and weigela, she thought. Not that she was an expert. "W...what are these for?"

"For you, and to brighten your day," he explained. "I would like that we should talk, Tendo-san. Would you accompany me some distance, to discuss further?"

No, she thought. Never, not in a million years. She'd been grateful for few things aside from peace and quiet lately, and most of that peace from him! "Of course," she agreed. Well, as Nabiki had explained it, there wasn't any official binding agreement to keep Kodachi pressing charges. Best stay on his good side. That, and she wanted to get away from the stares of the surrounding students.

He nodded to her, and then they walked side-by-side, as he led the way clear of the other students, and beyond their hearing range. "I hadn't seen you in a while," she finally managed, when he didn't speak for several minutes.

"I had much on my mind," he said with a shrug. "I was given a most ... poignant insight recently. And much time to think on it. I apologize if you found me lax."

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to," she mumbled, staring at the flowers. "Really, I haven't done anything worth... I'm terribly sorry, I made some terrible mistakes, and... Well, I'm touched that you're concerned for me. I am. But ... don't you think you're being too nice to me?"

"I might, had circumstances been otherwise," he agreed. "However, I was told when I paid concern to my sister that I should not ignore you, and your own circumstances. I have not heard, as it's been said, your side of the story."

Akane shivered slightly. "I try not to think about it," she said quietly, staring into the bouquet. "I... I got some bad advice. But it was my choice to act on that advice. And ... um ... after I fought Shampoo and Ukyou, your sister found me."

"Why did you confront them, then?"

"They... I was trying to help Ranma," she managed. Practice, she scolded herself, when a flare of temper tried to take control, to demand what business Kuno even had asking. There were plenty of reasons to be angry at Kuno, to complain that he wouldn't leave her alone... But could she just dismiss the brother of the girl who she'd nearly crippled? No, she told herself. She could admit these things to Kuno, if it would help her admit them to herself. "It was a bad idea. Martial arts aren't meant to be used to solve problems like that.

"S...so, since I wanted those girls to leave Ranma alone, I fought them over it. And when I was done, Kodachi told me she'd seen, and she wanted to fight me, too."

"She wished to fight you?" Tatewaki asked, surprise entering his voice.

"Y...yes. She said it was her best chance, I think. But... But I went too far."

"I think in this instance, we all have," he said with a sigh. "She in attacking you, you in attacking Kuonji and the Chinese girl ... and myself for setting the example that all Furinkan should follow. Blame is a chain, and we can all take part of it. Is not Furinkan's claim to greatness the prowess of its Kendo team?"

Akane blinked, looking at him sharply. No other students were within earshot, thankfully, but instead of staring at her, his gaze went to the sky. "I ... I think so," she agreed. Certainly none of Furinkan's other sports teams managed to bring the school trophies and win tournaments.

"And as the captain of that team, do I not have the solemn responsibility of demonstrating good conduct to those who would call me 'sempai'?"

She winced; her change in honorific had not gone unnoticed. "I suppose so," she managed meekly.

"And then, did I lead example in any other way than abuse of the skill I claim?"

"W...well..." She trailed off and said nothing, studying his face. It might have been carved from stone, or an ancient samurai mask; frozen in an unpleasant grimace.

"I encouraged the policy that, in turn, showed you violence and abuse of power was the righteous path. I assaulted without respect or consideration those who challenged my views. And then you," and here, his expression softened, shifting to one of hurt, and somehow also of relief, "showed me that my way was wrong."

"Y...yes," she agreed, turning away to stare at the bouquet again. "I was wrong."

"As was I. And my sister. And... Wrongness is not a virtue I wished to teach, but I believe I did in fact teach it. This reflects very poorly upon me -- upon the prided Kendo team of Furinkan, and indeed, my family. It pains me to admit that the most right person in all of this was..." He struggled, and when she glanced up, his face twisted into a grimace again. But Akane knew which name he couldn't say.

Putting a hand on his shoulder, she blinked the tears from her eyes. Damn, she swore to herself. Not again, not in public. "I know. He taught me, too. I... I didn't think of it, but I don't blame you. Even after everything you say, we all made our own mistakes ... and I, at least, have to try and make up for that."

"And that," he said, expression relaxing, as her hand found itself with a handkerchief in it, "is why I do not blame you."

She dabbed the tears from her eyes, nodding uneasily. "T...thank you, Kuno-san."

"Now, then," he said, familiar imperiousness entering his voice, "I, Tatewaki Kuno, no longer the Blue Thunder, would be friends with you, Tendo Akane."

And then she laughed, another of the tangled knots in her chest coming undone. That was why they weren't roses. But not yellow flowers, which meant friendship -- that would have been too obvious. But how he'd changed in the weeks since she'd seen him! In the weeks since his sister had been confined to a traction frame, because of her, she amended. "Kuno-san, I... I think I would like that."

"I am well pleased. I must go, now, to return to my home. It is ... difficult for me to see my sister in person, so must compose a letter to her. At the same, I wish greatly that perhaps on some afternoons, I might find you on your way home from school, and walk with you again."

"That would be nice," she agreed, smiling at him. For the year and more she'd known him, she'd never really managed to respect him, until her own fall had illuminated his failings to himself. Maybe, she thought, if she could work hard enough at making up her mistakes, some good might come out of this after all.

-4-

Teenage drama was the most annoying thing in the world. Going from a thoughtless, happy young man to a suddenly driven study-fixated sleep-deprived zombie who stuck himself with the responsibility of three (non-Tendo!) girls' well-being had been, in Genma's mind, a horrific change. And dramatic, probably needlessly so.

So it had to be approached from a careful position, considering a great deal of meditation, exercises in both thought and body, and for a few days (stolen between the times he was training someone else), training himself to new limits.

This meant that even though his right arm was numb and unresponsive, and Ranma's spin-kick flung him off the rooftop, Genma was actually pleased. For one thing, his son hadn't lost his edge.

For another, it meant that he'd stopped thinking about the drama well enough to focus on other things.

Which was a reassurance in many ways to Genma; he knew the damage done was severe, and Ranma was trying very hard to deal with it. That the boy had sought him out on his own and demanded, "Old man, you better get your ass in gear; just 'cause I'm not around is no reason to let yourself get out of shape and lazy!" Sure, it might have been better if the fight had begun with a dynamic entry -- perhaps a jump-kick, or a tackle.

Well, it spelled, after their practice escaped the confines of the Tendo home and took to the streets, that Ranma was actually feeling positive, not just putting on a front for the girls. And that was exactly what Genma needed to see. He took the punches and kicks in good nature, knowing that they all meant his son was back (more or less), and gave as good as he got; oh, the shiatsu was new, and he had some beyond-sinister Chinese sneakiness to fall back on now, but at the end of the day...

Finally, after a good two hours, the pair lay gasping on the top of some thirtieth floor skyscraper, collecting their breath. "Alright," Ranma finally conceded. "You're not hopeless."

"And medicine hasn't made you soft," Genma allowed, which they both knew was high praise from Genma regarding any non-Genma sensei. "So," he added, sitting up and peering at his son, "what prompted you to finally come back and talk to me? Are you ready to start training with Akane?"

Ranma blinked, already sitting up. "Not really," he said with a shake of his head. "Listen, Pops, it's about Mom."

"Ah," Genma said, nodding. And here, he'd wasted himself on the fight, and was too tired for any of the really good sneak-away tactics. Damn, the boy wasn't just getting better, he was getting smarter. Well, it wasn't as though he hadn't had time to think about things beforehand. Or the boy hadn't had coaching, come to think of it. "So, what's Cologne's suggestion?"

"The curse is one thing, and I don't know how Mom's going to handle it," Ranma answered, frowning. "But we've got to deal with that, first of all, and then the whole, 'me not marrying Akane' thing, second. You do remember the agreement when the girls were hospitalized, don't you?"

"You're not obligated to marry Akane. That doesn't mean you won't choose to."

"Pops," Ranma growled in warning. "Back to Mom."

Genma scowled. So much for the distraction ploy. "Alright. Your mother is training Akane in all the duties of a proper bride. Akane uses those lessons to reassure your mother that you're manly, and when it finally comes up, she'll tell your mother that the curse never made her see you as less of a man." He crossed his arms over his chest. "See? Problem solved."

"Oh?" Ranma asked quietly, one eyebrow twitching.

"Yes, and without any meddling from Cologne, or plan on her part."

"I think she did have a plan," Ranma countered. "And I think it was to let me see how stupid your plan is. Well, screw that -- hinging this all on Akane so that I have to use her--" He cut himself off, visibly restraining further outburst.

Genma blinked in surprise; it had been a brilliant plan, the best scheme Genma could assemble with the time he had to work with. Sure, it was a little manipulative, but medical knowledge was a far cry from the boy knowing what was best for himself. Still, he hadn't expected Ranma to grasp all the details so quickly. "Look," he said, "Akane's getting training, she's getting better, and all three of those girls are on the mend. In the end, no permanent damage done!"

"Ah," Ranma allowed, his eyes going distant.

Furrowing his brow, Genma added, "I'm looking out for you, Boy. I'm saving our legacy, your fiancee's pride, and the good name of our school!"

"How selfless."

About time the boy recognized it! "Damn straight! I've spent your entire life working for this, I know what I'm doing."

"I'm sure you do."

"Don't take that tone with me!" It bothered him too, when Ranma used proper grammar. Not that it was a bad thing, but it demonstrated to Genma how quickly the boy had moved on to learning other things. "I've let you stray, but you came back to me; you know who your teacher is--"

"I've got to get back to her, actually," Ranma snapped back, before back-flipping off the edge of the roof.

Genma blinked, stunned. "But," he said plaintively to the empty air where Ranma had moments ago been seated, "that's not how this is supposed to work!"

"Idiot," a wizened voice grumbled, prompting the man to leap to his feet.

"Master?"

"What a disappointment you are," Happosai said, shaking his head and sighing. Genma hadn't heard or felt the old man's approach, but now he was perched on the edge of the building, glowering upward while giving the impression he was staring down at his pupil.

"It's not like you offered to help!"

"I helped my best student, and my heir," the ancient figure replied loftily. "My duty is to my school."

"And I'm not doing my best for that cause?" Genma retorted angrily. "I tried my hardest to arrange things-"

"To end the way you wanted," Happosai completed, breaking off from his scowl long enough to peer into the bowl of his pipe and tap it out on the edge of the building. "Which is why I already arranged for anything Ranma learns to stay with the school. So, you've shown all your cards, and the old woman beat you. Leave the boy enough room, he starts to see that your plan isn't what's best for him."

"It is, too!"

"So you say. Obviously he doesn't agree. And what have you done? You pushed him away the first time he came to talk to you in weeks. Well done, Genma, very well done. You're so blinded by what you want, you can't see the damage you do to get it."

"This from a panty-obsessed freak?"

Happosai smirked, packing his pipe from a pouch and sparking it with a snap of his fingers. "I never made any claims to perfection, but my plan is still better than yours," he countered.

"Well, what's your plan to unite the schools?"

"Oh, Genma ... the principle of Anything Goes is continual improvement. You managed to teach that to Ranma without truly understanding it yourself. Ranma's improving himself in directions I never intended, but which still benefit the school. Akane's improving herself by becoming a genuine martial artist and setting aside her childishness. Her father's improving himself by becoming a tiny bit less of a spineless wimp. And what have you been doing?"

"I... Planning? Trying to fix things?"

"And improving yourself...?"

"When I'm not busy training Akane, I have been training, too!"

"I'm sure. And Ranma's upset with you, because...?"

"Because he's changed," Genma realized, grimacing. "And ... I haven't."

"Oh, give the man a prize, he finally gets it!"

"You could have saved me a lot of trouble, you know," Genma growled. "You could have warned me that he'd... That I was too late, that he'd already given up on me-- On us!"

"I don't think he has, yet, and if I had, you wouldn't have listened. And even if you did, you wouldn't have learned." Happosai took an expansive draw through the pipe, and puffed out a long stream of smoke. "Truth be told, by showing your hand and demonstrating that your petty little plan was yours, you helped Akane. Ranma won't think it's her idea, because it isn't."

Genma blinked, considering that. "Oh?"

"But all the same, leave well enough alone, eh?"

Glaring at the little old man, Genma shook his head. "I was trying my best," he growled.

"And look where that got you! Now it's the boy's choice in what happens next, and you've driven him to the one person you least want in charge of that choice."

"Cologne? Well, help me out -- you don't want her to win either, do you?"

"Hey, she's good for the boy. Better than you are, as far as he can tell."

Genma stared, slack-jawed. "B...but," he sputtered. "How could you say such a thing?"

"Because who Ranma marries has no bearing on the school in the end?" Happosai replied with a shrug. "Or maybe because it's time you started thinking about something aside from the school."

"It's not... The boy... He'll get over this, though. Won't he? I mean..."

"Genma, I think it's time to take a trip. You've got to learn a few things, too, I think."

He considered his options. He'd managed to infuriate his son, jeopardize the one thing he was trying to achieve above all else, and was in real danger of having the whole seppuku pledge called upon by his wife, once details became clear to her. And as mad as Ranma was, that seemed more likely by the minute. "A training trip might be good," he agreed. "Who's going to train Akane, though?"

"Don't sweat the details," Happosai said with a grin. "It's covered." Then the tiny old man reached over the edge of the building and hauled up Genma's bag -- fully packed. "Let's go."

Taking his bag, Genma wondered just how much of his plan had been anticipated by the old man. And if he had seen through it, how much of it did Cologne already know? Still ... the old man was right. He had to some serious training to catch up, now. "Yes, Sensei. Lead the way."

"Attaboy"  
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Author's notes:  
Another chapter completes.


	12. Phase 12

Unfair Warning: Phase Twelve

A metafiction by Brian Randall

Disclaimer: Original source is Ranma 1/2, which is the property and creation of Rumiko Takahashi. Her paints, my easel, and the brush is borrowed without permission (hence this disclaimer) from Kenko and Chris Jones, as this metafic is inspired by 'Fair Warning' and 'The Tomboy Solution'.

Note: Fans of the above fics will probably not enjoy the effects of this one. Consider yourselves warned. Divergence. You'll know it when you see it.

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-0-

Much to her relief, Tatewaki hadn't shown up the very next day to walk her home again. Akane appreciated it, really she did. But the 'new' Kuno was something to wrap her head around, and she was grateful that he wasn't there obsessively. Aside from which, Nabiki had told her Ranma would be coming by after school. It wasn't suppopsed to be one of Nodoka's bridal-training days (in Akane's experience, more grueling than Genma's lessons), and she'd happened to somehow have yesterday free after school...

So she had caught up on homework and unwound a bit. Which, as tense as she'd been, meant wearing herself to the point of exhaustion in the dojo without Genma. But today was the day when Ryouga would be cured of his 'chibi-itis' (Kasumi's name for his condition, though it stuck the second he pouted at it).

Which was actually two things to look forward to.

Having dashed home from school, she was actually alarmed to leap over the last rooftop to slide to a halt on the wall surrounding her home, and realize that now that she'd taken to fences and roofs ... Ranma was walking on street. He glanced up at her sharply, and she quickly straightened from the crouch she'd landed in, smoothing her skirt down. His expression was grim, as though preparing for a fight, but softened quickly once he realized it was her. At least, that was her hope.

She hopped down inside the wall and opened the gate for him. "Ranma," she greeted him, ducking her head slightly. "Um, sorry if I alarmed you."

"Nah," he said, shaking his head. "I was just expecting..." He trailed off with a nervous shrug, staring at the ground. He suddenly looked up, meeting her eyes. "Nice work on your balance, Akane. Looks like you're really putting some effort into your martial arts."

"Thank you," she said, her heart informing her that now was a good time to stop beating, her face coloring darkly. Praise from Ranma! Of all things! She felt light-headed. "I'm going to go inside before I wake up. You're here for Ryo-chan?"

Ranma blinked repeatedly at her words for a minute before shaking his head. "Uh, Ryo-chan? Oh, man. I knew I should have visited, but I was so busy..."

"He understands, I'm sure!" Akane said quickly. "And, and anyway, you trusted me, so I did my best... Even if, really, Kasumi did most of the work." She had to admit that last part, she realized with a frown. He wouldn't appreciate Akane trying to take credit for her sister's efforts.

"Well, you got school," Ranma said with a shrug. "You can't do everything yourself, so, that's fine."

"C...come in," Akane said, shaking her head. But slowly, so the world wouldn't wobble out of alignment. "Sorry again. Where are my manners..."

He smirked at her, shaking his own head. "Y...yeah, uh, can't keep Ryouga waiting for ever." He stepped through the gate, then Akane led the way up the short path to the door.

She slid it open, calling, "I'm home! Ryo-chan, you've got a visitor!"

Ranma winced again, though his smirk didn't lessen. "Yo! Ryouga, my man, I've got something for you, and it's better than good news!"

Ryouga rounded the corner, running at a terrific pace ... and slamming into the wall when he turned the wrong way. He bounced back, landing in the entryway staring up at Akane, with Ranma just behind him. "The hallway keeps moving on me!" he whined plaintively. "That was the right way to turn this morning!"

"That was when you were going to the living room from the kitchen," Akane said gently, glancing at the vaugely Ryouga-shaped indentation in the wall. At least he'd stopped smashing through them...

Then Ryouga tilted his head back, looking up, and up, and up, until he was in danger of toppling backwards, and was staring up at Ranma. "Ranma!" he exclaimed, blinking. "I haven't seen you in forever!"

"Sorry if it felt that way," Ranma said with a wince. "C'mon, let's get you into the dojo. I've got something for you."

"Finally," Ryouga grumbled, as he accepted a hand up from his rival. Akane hesitated a moment before following, pausing to set her bag down inside the doorway.

Once the two were there, Ranma produced Ryouga's backpack -- Akane had to wonder where he hid it, pulling it from behind his back like a stage-magician, and then producing a sixteen centimeter long mushroom from the same place. "Here you go," Ranma said cheerfully. "Fresh from Tofu-sensei. Now, before--" But that was as far as he got.

"Yay!" Ryouga crowed, before snatching it from Ranma's hand and swallowing it. "Finally!"

"...you eat that, you might want to change," Ranma finished with a wince, as Ryouga suddenly grew to his full size, incidentally shredding the clothes he'd been wearing. Akane managed to stifle the shriek (and subsequent laughter that escaped) as she covered her eyes and spun around. It was funny, but it had to be embarassing for Ryouga.

"D...darn," Ryouga sputtered, as Akane heard the sounds of cloth being shuffled around franticaly. The shuffling continued for a long moment before there was another, "Darn!" and then a, "Shoot!" Well, Kasumi's playful 'good language' lessons seemed to stick...

"It's safe now," Ranma advised, snickering. Akane slowly turned back to see Ryouga, now fully restored and dressed. He looked as good as new, except for the beet-red face. "I'm sorry, Ryouga, buddy, I tried to warn you."

"Yeah, yeah," the fanged boy sighed, sinking to sit on the floor, burying his face in his hands. "My fault. Darn."

"Er... Well, hey, congratulations on being sixteen again!"

"Well ... thanks for looking out for me," Ryouga mumbled in response, his blush slowly fading -- though he couldn't meet Akane's eyes.

"I'm glad for you being okay again now, too," Akane added, trying to sound helpful. "Kasumi will miss having you around, though."

Ryouga winced. "I... Well, if it's alright by her, I might stop by from time to time ... you know, to see how, uh, Kasumi's doing, and stuff... Check on things in Pine Valley, with Janet-san... Um, I owe your family for giving me a place to stay, and keeping me safe."

"I'm just glad everything worked out," Ranma said, grinning.

"Hey! Don't say it like that! I know a lot of responsibility for this was put on Akane, but it wasn't her fault, and she did a really good job helping me out!" Ryouga snapped, one hand going into a fist. "Don't try and blame her for other stuff, too!"

Ranma blinked a few times, clearly taken aback before he shook his head. "Yeah ... that's not what I meant. I mean, I'm glad that nothing bad happened to anyone else with these mushrooms. In fact, they really helped out, you know?"

"I guess that's true," Ryouga allowed, mollified, dropping his fist to his side. "I... Yeah, I had a lot of time to think."

"Well," Ranma said, clapping one hand to Ryouga's shoulder, "it's good to see you back to yourself."

"Y...yeah, thanks."

"Anyway, I was coming by to give you that, and your other stuff."

"That's all?" Ryouga asked, looking up sharply and narrowing his eyes. "Just to give me the mushroom?"

"Well... Nah. I mean, there was another thing, too, though."

"What's that?" Akane asked, when Ryouga bit his lip and said nothing.

"Um ... I just wanted to say if you're ever up for sparring, look me up," Ranma said with a shrug. "And I don't think you'll eat bad mushrooms any time soon, but if you do, let me know. I know I wasn't the one who helped you out, but if you need it, I'd like to try and help be there for you, you know?"

Ryouga blinked in confusion. "What?"

"Well, hey, we're friends, right? What are friends for? A...anyway, I've got to get back to Ucchan, and then we're going to Tofu's; Kodachi gets out of her brace today. So ... take care of yourself, Ryouga."

By the time Ryouga found his voice, Ranma had already left. "But... Why would he want to spar with me when he's got his father? I mean, aren't we rivals?"

Akane cocked her head to one side, considering. "You know ... funny you should say. I haven't seen him since yesterday," she said quietly. "But, why do you say you and Ranma are rivals? Is it still about the bread?"

"I... Oh, I've gotten over the bread thing," Ryouga mumbled, staring at the floor, furrowing his brow. "And ... there's... There's not really anything else. I mean, he never did anything bad to me on purpose, I guess."

She sighed, shaking her head. Well, at least Ranma had stopped picking on Ryouga like he used to. "Well, if you'd like to spar with me, sometime, I'd like that, too."

"Oh, sure. I guess Ranma's father is busy practicing with him, huh?"

"Um... Now that you mention it, I don't think Ranma's spent much time with his father since..." She winced. "Since I screwed things up. Um. Anyway, you should stay with us a bit longer, to make sure that the mushroom worked out okay before you leave. Won't you have dinner with us?"

"I guess I could do that," he agreed, his eyes on the doorway where Ranma had vanished. "Um, thank you, Akane-san."

"Don't mention it," she said quietly. But Ryouga's questions stuck with her ... had something happened between Ranma and his father, too? Surely that wasn't her fault ... was it?

-1-

Recounting the betting pool in her head (much diminished, since Ranma and Kuno didn't fight anymore) Nabiki liked to take her time on the walk home. Aside from which, her route let her do some window-shopping on the way back. There was always a nice blouse on display, or a jacket that would go well with her new purse. And unlike her youngest sister, she didn't have to feel personally guilty for anything.

But that didn't mean she didn't have her own sense of when martial artists were around. Even though she couldn't pinpoint it exactly until he was right behind her, she suspected he was around. "Saotome?" Nabiki asked, turning to look over her shoulder.

"Yo," he said quietly, raising a hand in response. "Do you have a few minutes?"

"I could," she said with a shrug, glancing around. The other favored aspect of this route: tea shops on almost every corner. Ah, Masamichi was always dependable. "Here," she said, gesturing him to follow and taking a seat at one of the outdoor tables.

She stopped by often enough that her favored drink was brought to her without her saying anything. "One for him, too, Masamichi-kun," she advised the proprieter, "on my tab."

Ranma raised his eyebrows at that, and she shot him a cool look in response. "Thanks," he finally allowed.

"So, you haven't spoken to me since we were at the hospital last. What's the occasion, stranger?"

"I haven't..." he began, before grimacing. "Yeah ... I'm sorry. I've been busy. I've been studying really hard, too, but I've missed a lot, lately. I was hoping you could kind of give me an update."

She blinked several times, and yen signs flashed before her eyes before she could restrain herself. "Well, no word on us being sued over Kodachi, so far. Kuno's lost it, though. I guess you missed it ... he still dresses up, but he doesn't carry his bokken, and he quit the Kendo club."

"Huh? What? I mean, I noticed he wasn't attacking me, yeah... But the last time I saw him was when he was visiting 'Dachi-chan."

One eyebrow escaped her control and rose over the nickname, but he didn't seem to notice. She covered, quickly saying, "Eh ... something about restoring the pride of the art, and something or another. He hasn't been pestering me about Akane or asking for pictures ... of her or you, so I know he's still taking this seriously. His father is too, I expect." She shrugged, while Ranma sipped at his tea. "Basically, it's like Akane caused an explosion of boring."

"Boring is better than what led to it," Ranma said quietly.

"And now you're getting all moody and introspective. At least Ryouga's antics are hilarious. How long before he gets turned back to normal, anyway?"

"Oh, actually, took care of that earlier today."

"Well, on to the safe and unexciting, then."

Ranma rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I've still got to deal with my mother, so I'm not sure 'safe' is the word."

"Hmm. Well, it's not happening where I can see, so the fun in that's gone, too. You need help with her?"

"You'd offer to help me?"

"Hey, your survival means Kodachi's happy, which means, in turn, my sister is safe. Other than that, what do you really expect me to do, smuggle her out of the country and let the other shoe drop?" She shook her head, sipping her own tea. "You've got problems, and my family owes you, even if no one goes out of their way to admit it. But your curse is beyond my power to help with, and you've already got the 'learn to be a doctor' angle covered, according to what I've heard about your grades."

He flinched. "What? My grades? How'd you hear about that?"

"Oh ... well, big racket. The yearly physical, girls have their heights, weights, and measurements recorded. The boys will sometimes pay big money to find out a girl's sizes." When he blinked, jaw dropping slightly, she smirked. "Oh, come on. I don't actually look at their measurements, but I have to make it look like I'm snooping, so I just spy on a few people's grades and then make up whatever number the boys want to hear. Not like they can't just guess themselves, but it leaves me with a few more yen at the end of the day, and if I didn't, someone else would probably try anyway."

"...oh."

"And there was that one time I decided that I wasn't going to fail history," she added, buffing her nails on her blouse.

"...er."

"Hah! Gotcha." She smirked while he scowled, then hid his face with his teacup. "Seriously, though, I did manage to see your grades. You did pretty well on that last test." Well, his average was looking good after her help, anyway. She did owe him for helping Akane out, and an 89 looked enough like a 59, with a little help, that nobody would need to know. "Just keep up the good work."

Realistically, he had only needed her help because of how poorly he'd done the rest of the year; the homework he'd actually started to turn in and the tests he'd done since then were all marked highly enough on their own. She guessed the other girls were helping him study, but that help had come late in the grading period.

"I... Well, thanks, Nabiki. That's ... really nice of you."

"I've decided to use my powers for good," she said, waggling her fingers at him. "Spooked?"

He nodded quickly. "Just a bit," he said, holding his fingers up a space a part. "A smidge."

She giggled, unable to help herself. "Ah... But seriously, Saotome, you've got a long hard road ahead of you. Back to your mother."

"Oh, right." He frowned. "Pops had some ... stupid plan to use Akane--"

"Say no more," Nabiki said, closing her eyes and holding up a hand, palm towards Ranma. "Let's see ... your father, not mine... Basically use Akane to build up a good word for you, and then pretend like the curse was never there once it comes out, right?"

"Y...yeah. Damn! You're good."

"Yeah, it's a shiny wrapper on an old plan," she said, shaking her head and sighing. "And that old plan is a stupid sign that says, 'I'm just a cute li'l panda'."

"Huh. When you put it that way, yeah, that's exactly what bugged me about it."

"Lacks your personal 'tackle the problem head on' approach, eh?"

He snorted, draining his teacup. Nabiki realized her own was empty and shifted in her seat, a gesture prompting Masamichi to approach and refill both teacups. "This is a tough nut to crack," she said, once the proprieter was gone. "Now, I want to help you with this, but your mom isn't like your father. Or mine. They're easy reads. She's..." She pursed her lips, studying her tea. 'Crazy', 'dangerous', and 'unstable' were rejected out of hand. No reason to offend Ranma with that much truth.

"Hard to get a read on?" Ranma asked.

"Let's go with that," she agreed, nodding. "You want my opinion?"

"At the current price, I'd be an idiot to say 'no'."

She was unable to keep herself from snickering at that one. "And with study comes intelligent humor! I'm stunned, Ranma-kun, I really am!"

"I'm just fully of surprises lately, Nabiki-chan," he replied dryly. "But you get this a lot better than I do, so, what do you think?"

"I think that you should already qualify by her standards, curse or no. Especially after how far you've gone out of your way to take responsibility. That's what I think makes a man; taking responsibility and trying to fix things. I'd say you passed that test a long time ago, before Akane... Well. That's just my opinion though."

He nodded, taking a sip of his tea again. "And?"

She sighed, swirling her tea gently in its cup. "And your mother's more traditional. She's looking at this from the view of someone who thinks that 'manliness' has an older meaning. You know ... killing yourself over mistakes instead of trying to make genuine amends. So I can read most people because I can identify with them. But for her, well, there's a generation gap I just can't understand." A generation gap of crazy, since the woman had married Genma, and crafted a suicide pact with a child. More words to keep to herself, though.

"Yeah," he mumbled glumly, sinking in his chair, staring into his cup. "That's about what I'm stuck with. All the words in the world from Akane, or Ucchan, 'Dachi-chan, and Shan-chan don't amount for anything if she decides I fail for some reason. Like the curse. And no matter what her view is, it's gotta be a mark against me once it comes out that I've lied to her."

"Wouldn't want to be in your shoes," Nabiki said sympathetically. "But, it beats having no mother at all, doesn't it?"

"Then I wouldn't have the threat of death hanging over my head," he countered. Then he deflated. "But I guess you're right, too."

"Can't win 'em all, Ranma-kun."

"Maybe you're right ... but I have so far, Nabiki-chan. Haven't I?"

She snorted. "I guess you have," she allowed. Even if he'd needed help, or second-chances often enough. "What kind of plan do you have?"

"I... I don't, really. I just have to show her that I put other people ahead of me. I mean, I don't really understand what her idea of 'manliness' is, either. If that's not good enough..." He trailed off, then swallowed. "I don't know."

"Tried asking the old woman for help?"

He nodded, not looking up. "She said she was sorry, but it was a family problem. So I talked to Pops, and... Eh. His idea was stupid. So I asked her for help again, and she said that... That if I wasn't good enough for Mom, I didn't have to accept her choices..." He winced, obviously disturbed by the idea. "I mean, I don't want to go that far. But I do put those girls ahead of me, so if that's how it has to be, then to take care of them..." He sighed and rubbed at his cheeks. "Well, then that's how it has to be."

She blinked slowly, studying him and absorbing what he'd said. It was simple enough, she supposed, to just look at Nodoka's inevitable judgement and say, 'No'. She would; she sure as hell wouldn't let some contract she signed before she could even read determine her right to a hearbeat! But, this was Ranma. And his mother. What if that supposed contract on her own life was signed by the Tendo mother, before her passing? Then what would Nabiki do?

"Well," she finally managed, "it sounds like you don't plan on getting yourself killed either way."

"I think I'd die if she didn't accept me," he said quietly, bowing his head further. "Even if it was just a little. And because of that ... I'm not sure I can just say 'no' if I'm not good enough. Facing judgement and only accepting it if it's positive ... that's not really even facing it, is it? If I do that, I'm already..."

Nabiki rubbed at her temples. "Damned if you do, damned if you don't," she commiserated. "I don't envy you this one, Ranma-kun. I guess I can't give you much of anything here after all. But for what it's worth, you've got my sympathy."

"Thanks, Nabiki-chan," he said tiredly, raising his head and giving her a weak smile. "I kind of wish we could have talked like this before..." He shrugged, looking away after he trailed off.

"It would have been different," Nabiki allowed. "Very different."

"But ... I'm learning a lot about a lot of people."

"Oh? What have you learned about me, then?" Nabiki asked, unable to resist teasing. Even if he had started paying attention, he was still Ranma, after all.

"That you can actually be nice, Nabiki-chan," he said shrugging. "Anyway ... thanks for talking to me. I appreciate that. And the tea, too. I'll catch you around, okay?"

"Of course, Ranma-kun," she allowed, managing to keep the color from her face until he left. Wait. Nabiki-'chan'? Damn, if she hadn't let this whole thing get out of hand... Still, she allowed herself, finishing off her tea, 'nice' was a better reputation than 'mercenary'.

"Guess you changed more than I thought, too," she murmured, glancing down the road after him.

-2-

After a pleasant morning spending time chatting with Kodachi -- and she was a very intelligent little girl, too -- Nodoka finally bid her farewell once Ukyou and Shampoo had arrived. She'd have liked to have spent more time talking with them about her son, but Ukyou had mentioned that he was supposed to be visiting Ryo-chan, and that meant that as much as she wanted to spend time with Kodachi-chan, she had to race home for the chance to see her son.

"Hello!" she called, once she was through the gate. "Is anyone home?"

"Hello, Saotome-san," Kasumi called from just behind her.

Nodoka blinked, then turned around. Judging by the plastic bag in her hand, Kasumi had been grocery shopping. "I'd heard that Ranma might be here today," she told the Tendo girl apologetically. "Have you seen him?"

"I'm afraid not," Kasumi replied, opening the door to the house. "I'd just put Ryo-chan down for his nap and decided to do some shopping for dinner tonight. But come in, please."

Nodoka sighed, then forced herself to brighten. Just because Kasumi hadn't seen him didn't mean that Ranma hadn't come over.

"Hello," Akane called from within the house. She came into view from the living room, glancing back over her shoulder. "Oh! Um, Saotome-san, it's good to see you again."

"Oh, well, thank you, Akane-chan. Um, I was wondering if you'd heard anything from Ranma today...?"

The girl winced and hung her head slightly. "I'm sorry ... you just missed him. He was here earlier, to help Ryo-chan out, but he left."

"But he's in town!" Nodoka said brightly. "And he hasn't gone on a training trip in a while -- I'm certain if I'm patient, I'll see him soon!"

For some reason, Akane winced again.

"I'm sure that's true," Kasumi said slowly, thoughtfully. "But he hasn't come for dinner in some time. I think he's staying with his friends while he's taking care of them."

Nodoka nodded slowly. Obviously, she would need to arrange to surprise him at some point while he was taking care of those girls. But, nothing for it today...

"Ryo-chan mentioned that your show was on in the other room," Akane offered.

"My... Oh! Yes, of course." Might as well catch up on the goings-on in Pine Valley.

She stepped into the room and instead of the rambunctious youth she'd grown accustomed to -- the one who was Ranma's friend -- she saw a boy she put at about her son's own age. He was staring intently at the screen, riveted by the action. "Oh, drat," Kasumi murmured. "What did I miss, Ryo-kun?"

"Bianca just came out of the closet," the young man said, shaking his head. "But they cut to commercial before we could see Erica's reaction."

"Oh, my! I knew it was coming, but still!" Kasumi murmured. "Well, at least I didn't miss her reaction."

"I'm sorry," Nodoka told the young man, "you're ... Ryo-chan?" He did look like the boy who had been staying with the Tendo family, though where the extra dozen years came from didn't make any sense at all. Maybe they were brothers?

Looking away from the screen and only just then realizing his current company, the boy blinked a few times, then coughed. "Um, yeah. Hibiki Ryouga," he said, bowing his head slightly. "We've met ... I was just under the influence of magical aging mushrooms."

"I ... see," Nodoka managed faintly. Aging mushrooms? That was more far-fetched than the last season of their favorite soap opera!

"Sorry," Akane said, shaking her head, "I should have explained it. Ryo-chan," and for some reason, the boy winced, "was staying with us until Tofu-sensei got the right mushrooms to turn him back to his proper age."

Kasumi added, "But we don't mind. Ryo-chan and Ranma are very good friends -- they went to school together, and spar together all the time!"

"Yeah, friends," Ryouga mumbled, turning his gaze out the door.

"Aside from which, it was fun to get a chance to use all those old clothes in the upstairs attic."

"Oh," Nodoka forced out, reeling. If they weren't playing a joke on her -- and there was no reason to -- then ... it had actually happened. "How strange that such a thing can happen," she said softly.

"I've seen stranger," Akane assured her. "And worse."

"Worse than turning a boy into a child?"

Akane looked uncomfortably, but nodded. "Um, I'm not really into your show so much ... so I'm going to go to my room and take care of my homework first. Thank you for visiting, Saotome-san."

"Er," was all Nodoka could get out before Akane headed up the stairs. Then she turned a curious gaze on Ryouga. "You ... know my son, then?" she asked cautiously.

"Oh, it's back on!" Kasumi noted, as the commercials ended, and the show returned.

Nodoka shook her head; time to sort things out later.

-3-

It had been nearly three months before she was finally free of the frame. There had been times, in surgery and the like, but generally, she had been restrained to having a single hand free and nothing else. She needed help to eat, to drink ... to do absolutely anything at all, except change channels on the television.

Tofu-sensei did not have a television.

So, when the last bolt was finally pulled (by Ranma, of course), her graceful recovery was not what she had intended. With both Shampoo and Ukyou looking on, instead of leaping from the bed to give her favorite medical student a hug, she instead managed to clumsily fall to the floor. Or would have, had Ranma not caught her before she did much more than tip over.

Well, she thought, clinging to him as well as she could, given her uncooperative muscles, that worked well enough. Summoning up what decorum she could while he still held her, she said, "Thank you so much, Ranma-chama!" Damn! Again! Why did her tongue keep giving into the childish form of that word?

Ukyou and Shampoo cheered, Ukyou actually waving a tiny cheering fan, and Tofu watched the whole thing with an easy smile. "You do need to be careful," he warned, as Ranma gently set her back on the bed.

"I know," she said, nodding. "But I can move again!" Even if her coordination was less than she would have liked. She waved her arms around, just because she finally good. Then she kicked her legs and turned her head to look between Ukyou and Shampoo, who both suddenly stilled. She smiled at them, tilting her head to one side. "Is something wrong?"

In a single voice, Ukyou and Shampoo blurted out, "So cute!" before Kodachi found herself in the middle of a nearly crushing three-way hug between the other girls.

Ukyou released her first, so Kodachi blinked in bewilderment as Shampoo slowly twirled around, hugging her tightly. "Too, too cute!" she added.

"Um, Tofu-sensei, do you think we could get 'Dachi-chan out of the clinic a bit? I mean, would it be alright if she stayed with me and Ranchan?" Ukyou asked.

Tofu contemplated briefly, before nodding. "I suppose," he allowed. "But I know your place has stairs, Ukyou-san, so I want all of you to be careful."

"Understood," Ranma said, grinning at Kodachi when Shampoo finally stopped turning her around.

"Also, I don't think you can leave her unattended while you're at school."

"I only look like a child!" Kodachi protested.

"It's okay!" Shampoo said cheerily. "She can stay with me and Great-grandmother while school is in session."

"But," Kodachi began to protest, before Ranma shook his head.

"It's okay," he said with a smile. "Koh-Lon-sensei is very good with medicine, and she can help you with some exercises to get you back to where you were before being..." He trailed off and winced.

Well, supervision wasn't that bad. To try and cheer Ranma up, she beamed a smile back at him. "This is going to be fun!" she cheered, before she remembered. "Oh! But I'll need to come back here to meet with Ranma-chama's mommy, I think..." She glanced at the other girls worriedly; the dark flashes in their eyes made it abundantly clear that they were on the same page with that issue. Still, Kodachi had to admit ... Nodoka was a nice, friendly, and kind woman ... for a lunatic.

"Well..." Shampoo's smile widened. "Oh! I have an idea! Great-grandmother can bring 'Dachi-chan to the clinic to meet with Ranma's mother," she suggested, raising one eyebrow and turning to look at Tofu questioningly.

"That's fine," Tofu allowed. "Even though I trust Cologne, I still want to give you daily checkups."

The girls shared a tiny nod at that, exchanging glances. They didn't want any reason to send Nodoka running around to run into Ranma when he wasn't prepared. So that, at least, was a victory.

-4-

The slightly chill wind through the branches of the trees outside of his office prompted Tofu to look upwards, scanning the heavens curiously. But there was nothing more than a clear sky, clouds only on the horizon and drifting away.

He smiled cautiously, pausing his tradition of sweeping the walkway. It had been a good day, he thought. Kodachi was gone, so he could put away the traction gear, though she'd stopped by earlier. The meeting with Ranma's mother had gone well enough, though the older woman had seemed a bit distracted. After that, Tofu had walked Shampoo and Kodachi back to Ukyou's restaraunt.

Not that they needed it, but Tofu was curious to see how Ranma and the girls were doing. Kodachi stayed at one end of the counter around the grill and worked on her homework with Ukyou, when she wasn't cooking; Shampoo waited. They seemed very close-knit, and once Ranma returned from the Neko-Hanten, Tofu couldn't resist a smile at how well they worked together.

Through it all, though, Tofu could read a strain that Ranma was trying to hide, not far below the surface. So he'd told the boy to stop by later in the evening, and then gone back to the clinic to tend his appointments.

Which weren't many, truthfully, so now he was just outside, waiting for...

And there he was. He hid less of his exhaustion now, though. "Are you feeling alright?" Tofu asked, ushering the boy inside to sit and have some tea.

"Yeah," he answered, shaking his head. "Just ... you know. A lot on my mind."

"I can only imagine," Tofu said sympathetically. "Still. I wanted to tell you, Ranma-kun, that I think you've done a good job looking after those girls. You've gone quite out of your way to help them, and ... I think you should be proud of how well they're doing."

"T...thanks," he said, looking almost shaken. Tofu sighed internally. Ranma was one so prideful ... which wasn't ideal, but at least he wasn't nervous about accepting praise. "Um, what are you going to show me?"

"Nothing for the moment," Tofu said, shaking his head. "I just wanted to talk to you. Are you troubled?"

"Kinda," Ranma admitted, looking to one side. "I mean... I had an argument with Pops, then he split. I, uh, asked Kasumi. She said his stuff was gone, so..." He shrugged, grimacing.

"Ah," Tofu said quietly, nodding. "Well, not to worry. I don't expect your father to remain gone for too long."

"Yeah ... but I don't have anyone to practice with," Ranma sighed. "Shampoo is catching up, but I don't want to go all out, and I feel bad about practicing with her when Ucchan and 'Dachi-chan still can't."

Tofu considered briefly, before speaking. Ranma was under a lot of pressure and needed to find a release. Well, there was one good possibility, then. It was too soon for Ranma to spar with Tofu, of course, but... "Your father left some unfinished business," Tofu said quietly, thinking of the note that Happosai had left him. "So, there is one person you could spar with."

"Eh? Who? If it's Pop's unfinished business..."

-5-

"So, who is supposed to train me if the panda skipped town?" Akane mused, wearing her gi and looking at the dojo's floor thoughtfully. It was still hard to concentrate; Tatewaki had met her after school, and been a gentleman about it still. He'd walked her home, leaving her to wonder when he was going to snap and start acting his predictable lunatic self.

He didn't, though. So she felt embarassed when he merely bowed to her (though, he'd given her flowers again!) and left. But Genma was gone, so her trainer was missing. On the bright side, Happosai was gone, too, so she got to avoid his lectures. Which was just as well; being told about proper respect, attitude, and responsibility from a panty-thief was begining to wear on her sanity.

"So Pop really has been training you?" a ghostly voiced asked, just behind her.

"Kya!" she yelped, spinning around and trying to backhand whoever had snuck up on her. It didn't work; there was no one there.

A tap on the back of her head left her to feel like an idiot as she slowly turned to look behind her. Ranma, of course, smirking and as smug-looking as ever.

"Y...you!" she protested.

"Who did you expect, Lukkosai?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Now, 'cmon. You've gotten faster, but your form is weak. At attention -- elbow out!"

She reflexively snapped into position, raising her guard. "W...what are you doing here?"

"Picking up after Pops ... again," Ranma sighed, though his expression didn't seem as irritated as his tone suggested. "Alright, then, Akane, let's see what you've got!"

"Gyah!" And then it really was a struggle ... but by the time, exhausted and sore, that Akane made her way to the bath, she was grinning from ear to ear. It wasn't like their fight at the school, with the dougi. It wasn't like their old 'sparring' matches.

He'd actually hit her. Yes, he was holding back, but he was actually helping her learn! He pointed out holes in her defense, showed her a new punch, and then laughed when she finally got a hit on him (though, she was pretty sure he let it through).

Nabiki stopped in the middle of the hall, watching Akane walk past, unable to keep herself from humming to herself. "What are you so happy about?" she asked. "Doesn't look like the old man flaked on you this time."

"He hit me," Akane said proudly. "Like I was a real martial artist. Like I was worth his time!" Then she gave her slowly blinking sister a grin, and slid the door to the washroom open.

"Kasumi!" she heard Nabiki call, as she undressed. "I think Akane's gone crazy again! Do we have any wards, or anything?"

"Did you check the drawer under the microwave?" Kasumi's distant voice called back. "I think we've got some spares."

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Author's Notes:  
Must complete faster. Remember, kids, do your Shattered Fanfiction Island Dailies to up the completion percentage!


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